Former New York Republican Rep. George Santos, carrying a glittering collar, attends the State of the Union deal with Thursday night time in Washington, D.C.

Mandel Ngan/AFP through Getty Images

conceal caption

toggle caption

Mandel Ngan/AFP through Getty Images

Former New York Republican Rep. George Santos, carrying a glittering collar, attends the State of the Union deal with Thursday night time in Washington, D.C.

Mandel Ngan/AFP through Getty Images

Former New York Republican Rep. George Santos, ejected by fellow lawmakers from the House in December, turned up Thursday night time at President Biden’s State of the Union speech carrying a bejeweled collar.

Santos was allowed to attend the president’s deal with as a result of former U.S. representatives retain lifetime membership privileges, even after being expelled.

Showing he hasn’t misplaced his flare for dramatic timing, Santos used the second to announce one other bid for workplace.

“New York hasn’t had a real conservative represent them since I left office arbitrarily, thanks to RINO, empty suits like @nicklalota,” Santos stated, posting on the social media website X.

He was referring to freshman Republican Rep. Nick LaLota, who represents New York’s 1st Congressional District on Long Island.

LaLota helped lead the hassle to oust Santos from his third District House seat after it was revealed Santos lied about a lot of his private {and professional} historical past, and after federal prosecutors indicted Santos on 23 fraud prices.

Now Santos says he’ll return the favor by making an attempt to oust LaLota within the GOP main on June twenty fifth:

“I will be returning to the arena of politics and challenging Nick for the battle over #NY1. I look forward to debating him on the issues and on his weak record as a Republican.”

LaLota instantly fired again at his former colleague, additionally posting on X:

“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,” LaLota wrote.

“If finishing the job requires beating him in a primary, count me in.”

Santos’ return to politics is unwelcome information for Republicans in New York who already face a difficult election season as they struggle to defend key House seats received in 2022.

Santos’s third District House seat has already tipped to a Democrat, Rep. Tom Suozzi, who received a particular election to interchange Santos final month.

Santos’ lingering presence in New York politics may be a reminder to voters that he received workplace with robust backing from lots of the state’s most influential GOP officers.

It was later revealed that he invented a lot of his private {and professional} historical past, fabricating a false Jewish heritage for his household and claiming to have been a aggressive volleyball participant at a school he by no means attended.

While campaigning for workplace, Santos additionally will probably be getting ready for his federal fraud trial, scheduled to start in September on Long Island.

Among the practically two dozen prices he faces, Santos is accused of ripping off former marketing campaign donors. Santos has denied any wrongdoing. His former marketing campaign treasurer has already pleaded responsible.