NY GOP Taps Israeli Veteran To Run For Santos’s Seat

The New York Times reports:

Republicans battling to hold onto the New York House seat vacated by George Santos chose on Thursday another relatively unknown candidate with a remarkable biography but a thin political résumé to run in a special election next year, according to three party officials briefed on the decision.

After extensive vetting, Republican leaders selected Mazi Melesa Pilip, a local legislator who was born in Ethiopia, served as a paratrooper in the Israel Defense Forces and ran for office for the first time in 2021 vowing to fight antisemitism.

It was a bold gamble by Long Island Republicans, a group better known for nominating older, white establishment figures. Republicans believe Ms. Pilip, a 44-year-old mother of seven, has the potential to become a breakout national star before the Feb. 13 special election, particularly at a moment when Israel’s war with Hamas is reordering American political alliances.

Read the full article.

Breaking News: Republicans battling to hold onto the New York House seat vacated by George Santos selected Mazi Melesa Pilip, an Israeli military veteran, to run in a special election next year, party officials said. https://t.co/Bzv1YmJu9g

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 14, 2023