from The Guardian
Democrat Tom Suozzi won the New York congressional seat vacated by the disgraced Republican George Santos on Tuesday night, in a boost for Joe Biden ahead of the presidential election.
The victory narrows the slim Republican majority in the House and gives Democrats a much-needed win in New York City’s Long Island suburbs, where Republican candidates have shown strength in recent elections.
The Associated Press called the result after 52% of votes were counted, with Suozzi garnering 59% compared with 41% for Republican candidate Mazi Pilip. Later in the evening, with 93% of the votes tallied, Suozzi led Pilip 53.9% to 46.1%.
The seat, in Long Island, was seen as a key indicator of voter sentiment before the expected Biden-Donald Trump election in November. Biden won the district in 2020, but the area swung Republican in the 2022 midterm elections, when Santos was elected.
After the results came in, the House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries – now one seat closer to flipping Congress to Democratic control – said “extreme Maga Republicans had spent millions attacking Tom personally and distorting his distinguished public service record”.
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