Election 2024

George Santos says Republicans are embarrassing him, so he quit the party

Former Congressman George Santos held a press conference on the House Triangle outside of the United States Capitol on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023
Former Congressman George Santos held a press conference on the House Triangle outside of the United States Capitol on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023 Photo: Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK

Disgraced former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) – who was kicked out of the House last year after he, among other things, allegedly stole money from his Republican colleagues – has decided that he’s too good for the GOP and will run for reelection next year as an “Ultra MAGA/Trump supporting” independent.

“After today’s embarrassing showing in the house I have reflected and decided that I can no longer be part of the Republican Party,” Santos wrote on X this past Friday. He was likely referring to Congress passing a spending bill to keep the federal government from shutting down. In order to pass the bill through both chambers of Congress and get it signed by President Joe Biden, many unrelated, conservative provisions were removed from the spending bill. Over 40 anti-LGBTQ+ provisions were removed.

“The Republican Party continues to lie and swindle its voter base,” Santos wrote. He is facing 33 federal criminal charges connected to various alleged schemes to enrich himself. “I in good conscience cannot affiliate myself with a party that stands for nothing and falls for everything.”

“I am officially suspending my petitioning in [New York’s First Congressional District] to access the ballot as a Republican and will be filling to run as an independent… I will take my Ultra MAGA/Trump supporting values to the ballot in November as an Independent.”

The House voted to expel Santos last December, months after his entire life story was exposed as fake and he was linked to numerous alleged fraudulent schemes. A House Ethics Committee report also found strong evidence that he was stealing campaign money. And other GOP members of Congress accused him of literally stealing their money from their bank accounts with a credit card grift.

Earlier this month, he announced that he was running for reelection in New York’s First Congressional District, which sets him up to face Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY) – a Republican who led the effort to expel Santos – in the GOP primary. He previously represented the state’s Third Congressional District.

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