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The process of picking a nominee for the special election to replace George Santos, which is expected to be held some time in February, has already begun – and should be completed within the week, Mike Deery, the spokesperson for the Nassau County, New York, Republican Party, said.
“We’re conducting interviews already and will continue to on Monday or Tuesday. We expect to have an announcement towards the end of week,” Deery told CNN.
Believed to be the favorites among the GOP hopefuls are State Sen. Jack Martins, Nassau County lawmaker Mazi Pilip, war veteran Kellen Curry and retired police officer Mike Sapraicone.
Deery said the group will speak with those four and others, with more than 20 people likely to be granted an interview.
On the Democratic side, multiple sources told CNN that former Rep. Tom Suozzi is expected to be the choice of Long Island Democrats. But he’s no shoo-in, New York state Democratic Party chair Jay Jacobs told CNN. The decision, according to the bylaws of the state party, is to be made by a committee of the county chairs in the district with the open seat. In this case, those people are Jacobs, who also runs the party in Nassau County, and Rep. Gregory Meeks, the Queens county party leader.
Jacobs said that they will also consult with New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Brooklyn Democrat.
“We are having informal screenings over the next couple of days starting today and then I have asked our executive committee of the county committee here in Nassau to give me their advice,” Jacobs said. “It’s going to be a decision that comes from a consensus. It is not going to be something that I think is going to be contentious in any fashion.”
Jacobs did acknowledge that Suozzi’s decision to challenge Hochul in 2022 did not sit well with some powerful Democrats – himself included.
“That is certainly not something that is a plus for me,” Jacobs said of thought process regarding Suozzi. “I happen to be friends with Tom, but I was very clear I didn’t want him running against the governor. And there were things in the campaign that I took issue with, publicly, that I didn’t agree with.”
He added, “That said, it’s not a disqualifier by any means as far as I’m concerned.”
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