Mazi Pilip, the Republican Nassau County legislator who lost the New York special election to replace former Rep. George Santos, said it was a “mistake” that she didn’t seek former President Donald Trump’s endorsement.
Ms. Pilip, a political newcomer, lost the Feb. 13 special election in New York’s 3rd Congressional District to Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi.
“Fake news that I do not support Trump,” Ms. Pilip wrote Thursday on X. “I love Trump. Great President. My mistake not seeking his endorsement. #MAGA2024.”
Mr. Suozzi won the race pretty easily. The district comprises mostly the North Shore of Long Island and parts of Queens.
After Ms. Pilip’s election loss, Mr. Trump called her a “very foolish woman” for not endorsing him
“Republicans just don’t learn, but maybe she was still a Democrat? I have an almost 99% Endorsement Success Rate in Primaries, and a very good number in the General Elections, as well, but just watched this very foolish woman, Mazi Melesa Pilip, running in a race where she didn’t endorse me and tried to ’straddle the fence,’ when she would have easily WON if she understood anything about MODERN DAY politics in America,” the former president said on Truth Social.
The former president keyed in on the fact that Ms. Pilip was a registered Democrat at the time of the race. She only changed her party affiliation to Republican earlier this week.
However, she did claim that she voted for Mr. Trump in 2020.
Her comments come as Mr. Suozzi was sworn in on Wednesday for the seat he held for multiple terms before deciding to run for governor, losing in the primary to Gov. Kathy Hochul.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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