Former Rep. George Santos says he’s leaving the Republican Party, will run as an independent

[Pelican Press 0]

Former Rep. George Santos says he’s leaving the *********** Party, will run as an independent

Santos says he’ll challenge LaLota for New York’s First Congressional District

Santos says he’ll challenge LaLota for New York’s First Congressional District

02:03

NEW YORK – Former Rep. George Santos said Friday he’s leaving the *********** Party. 

His announcement comes after the House passed a massive $1.2 trillion spending package that funds the government through September ahead of a midnight deadline to avert a partial shutdown. 

That measure passed 286 to 134, with a majority of Republicans voting against it. After it passed, *********** Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia filed a “motion to vacate,” a move that lays the groundwork for an eventual vote to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson.  

“After today’s embarrassing showing in the house I have reflected and decided that I can no longer be part of the *********** Party… The *********** Party continues to lie and swindle its voter base. I in good conscience cannot affiliate myself with a party that stands for nothing and falls for everything. I am officially suspending my petitioning in #NY01 to access the ballot as a *********** and will be [filing] to run as an independent… I will take my Ultra MAGA/Trump supporting values to the ballot in November as an Independent,” Santos wrote on X. 

Santos had previously announced plans to challenge *********** Rep. Nick LaLota in New York’s First Congressional District, which includes eastern Long Island. 

LaLota responded to that by releasing a statement saying, “To raise the standard in Congress, and to hold a pathological liar who stole an election accountable, I led the charge to expel George Santos. If finishing the job requires beating him in a primary, count me in.”  

All this comes as Santos faces 23 federal charges related to alleged wire ******, identity theft and campaign finance violations and other *******. His trial is set for September.  

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Jesse Zanger

Jesse Zanger is the managing editor of CBSNewYork.com.

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