Republicans have chosen Nassau County legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip, a former Israeli paratrooper, to run within the particular election to switch former Rep. George Santos, the Republican who was expelled from Congress in early December.
Ms. Pilip at present represents the tenth legislative district on Long Island. She will probably be up towards former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi for New York‘s 3rd congressional district. Mr. Suozzi is well known in that district, having held the position for six years before Mr. Santos won the seat.
The special election is scheduled for Feb. 13, 2024.
Ms. Pilip, 44, hails from Great Neck and has held her position since 2021.
She is an Ethiopian Jew who grew up in Ethiopia and Israel. At 18, she joined the Israeli Defense Forces where she served as a paratrooper.
She has been vocal about her support for Israel. In a CBS News interview a few days after the terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel, Ms. Pilip said that she had been “crying day and at night. I can’t sleep.”
“Part of me would like to go and join the army,” she mentioned.
In a press release, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson praised her file.
“Mazi Pilip is a formidable candidate with a unique biography: a former IDF paratrooper and mother of seven,” Mr. Hudson mentioned. “Mazi‘s incredible life of service stands in stark contrast to career politician Tom Suozzi, who uses his office to make life better for himself instead of his community. With Mazi in Congress, Long Islanders will have a representative who stands up to the extreme Hochul-Suozzi agenda making New York less safe and more expensive.”
Democrats indicated they’ll attempt to tie Ms. Pilip to the disgraced Mr. Santos.
“Time and again, the Republican Party desperately tried to expunge their own history of protecting a criminally-indicted liar at the expense of Northeast Queens and Long Island constituents,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene mentioned in a press release. “Now, Long Island Republicans have chosen Mazi Melesa Pilip, serial fraudster George Santos‘ close friend and MAGA extremist, to clean up their mess. Pilip and Republicans will be held accountable for their shameless record of propping up corruption and working against the best interest of constituents in New York‘s Third Congressional District.”
The Washington Times has reached out to Ms. Pilip‘s workplace for remark.
