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GOP Swipes Crucial House Seat After 10 Years in Democrat Clutches

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New York Republican George Santos flipped a U.S. House seat Tuesday night in what was part of a very good night for GOP congressional candidates in the Empire State.

Santos defeated Robert Zimmerman, taking the 3rd congressional district on Long Island with approximately 54 percent of the vote to the Democrat candidate’s 46 percent, according to The New York Times.

The 3rd District has been in Democratic hands since Republican then-Rep. Peter King retired in 2012.

The Cook Partisan Voter Index rates the 3rd a D+2 district, meaning Democrats have a two percentage point advantage.

In September 2021, the liberal website Daily Kos calculated, based on its new boundaries created following the 2020 U.S. Census, the 3rd would have gone for President Joe Biden with 53.6 percent of the vote to former President Donald Trump’s 45.4 percent in 2020.

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After King’s retirement, the seat was held by Democratic Rep. Steve Israel from 2013 to 2017. Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi won the seat in the 2016 election, but stepped down earlier this year to launch an unsuccessful bid for governor.

“Santos, a 34-year-old finance executive who lost to Suozzi two years ago, ran for the NY-3 congressional district seat on a conservative platform of cutting taxes, demanding border security and railing against the Democrats’ unpopular state cashless bail law,” the New York Post reported.

The Post noted Santos’ race against Zimmerman marked the first time two openly gay candidates faced off in a congressional race.

Politico reported that Santos’ victory was part of a Long Island sweep for the GOP taking all four of its U.S. House districts.

Republicans running for Congress had a good night overall in New York flipping two other House seats in addition to the Long Island sweep.

Were you expecting the results that we're seeing from Tuesday's election?

Two GOP candidates won in the Hudson Valley north of New York City: Mike Lawler over Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Rep. Patrick Maloney and Marc Molinaro besting Democrat Josh Riley.

WABC-TV’s Stacey Sager called the clean sweep, “clearly an historic night.”

Other New York Republicans also cruised to victory, including House Republican Conference Chairwoman Rep. Elise Stafanik, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, Rep. Claudia Tenney, and Nick Langworthy.

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Florida was another bright spot for the GOP Tuesday night in what was not the red wave election Republicans anticipated.

Republican candidates flipped three congressional seats held by Democrats, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Marco Rubio soundly defeated their Democratic challengers.

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Randy DeSoto has written more than 2,000 articles for The Western Journal since he joined the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths" and screenwriter of the political documentary "I Want Your Money."
Randy DeSoto is the senior staff writer for The Western Journal. He wrote and was the assistant producer of the documentary film "I Want Your Money" about the perils of Big Government, comparing the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Randy is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths," which addresses how leaders have appealed to beliefs found in the Declaration of Independence at defining moments in our nation's history. He has been published in several political sites and newspapers.

Randy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in political science and Regent University School of Law with a juris doctorate.
Birthplace
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated dean's list from West Point
Education
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
Books Written
We Hold These Truths
Professional Memberships
Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Entertainment, Faith




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