Title: New York Democratic Representative Tom Suozzi Takes Oath in Congress, Narrowing GOP Majority
New York Democrat Tom Suozzi was officially sworn into the United States House of Representatives on Wednesday evening following his victory in a special election earlier this month. The contest drew national attention as it aimed to fill the vacant seat left by expelled Republican Representative George Santos.
Suozzi’s arrival in Congress further shrinks an already precarious GOP majority, which now consists of 219 Republicans and 213 Democrats. The Republicans can no longer afford to lose more than two votes when passing legislation due to potential absences or internal disagreements within their conference.
Currently, there are three vacancies in the House, including one safe Democratic district and two secure Republican districts. Former New York Democrat Brian Higgins had previously resigned from Congress earlier this month, while former Ohio GOP Representative Bill Johnson stepped down last month. Additionally, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy vacated his position at the end of last year.
However, replacing candidates for these vacancies will require participating in special elections, so these seats won’t be filled until later this year.
Suozzi is not a political newcomer; he previously represented the 3rd Congressional District of New York for three terms from 1991 to 2000. Labeled as a moderate Democrat, Suozzi has attempted to secure his party’s nomination for governor on two occasions – he finished third in the Democratic primary against Gov. Kathy Hochul last year and lost a 2006 bid to Eliot Spitzer.
This election year, Suozzi defeated Republican nominee Mazi Pilip by nearly eight points in a race that became heavily defined by immigration, crime, and voter trust.
The seat Santos had initially won was part of the Biden districts in New York that flipped to Republican control during the 2022 elections. However, shortly after taking office, Santos’ fabrications surrounding his resume and financial dealings began to surface, leading to a House Ethics Committee investigation and eventually his expulsion from Congress.
