Tipsheet

Here's What Trump Is Blaming for GOP's NY-3 Loss

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  February 14, 2024 7:30 AM

Former President Donald Trump called for a "real" GOP candidate in November to face off against Democrat Tom Suozzi, who defeated the Republican candidate in Tuesday's special election for the seat previously held by Republican Rep. George Santos.

“Republicans just don’t learn, but maybe she was still a Democrat?” Trump said about the GOP candidate, Mazi Pilip. “I have an almost 99% Endorsement Success Rate in Primaries, and a very good number in the General Elections, as well, but just watched this very foolish woman, Mazi Melesa Pilip, running in a race where she didn’t endorse me and tried to ‘straddle the fence,’ when she would have easily WON if she understood anything about MODERN DAY politics in America.”

Trump was referring to the fact that Pilip has been a registered Democrat since 2012, despite the fact that she was twice elected to the Nassau County Legislature as a Republican. 

“MAGA, which is most of the Republican Party, stayed home—and it always will, unless it is treated with the respect that it deserves," Trump continued. "I stayed out of the race, ‘I want to be loved!’ Give us a real candidate in the district for November. Suozzi, I know him well, can be easily beaten!”

With 93 percent of ballots tallied, Pilip lost to Suozzi, 46 percent to 54 percent, giving Republicans in the House an even slimmer majority, 219-213. 

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Santos made a similar argument on X, where he said New York's 3rd Congressional District is "MAGA country" and GOP voters stayed home because they were "disrespected."

"I won #NY03 with $0 super PAC money, $0 CLF money and $0 Establishment money.Tonight the establishment set $10 million on fire! I FLIPPED a 23 year Blue seat with the help of grassroots activists and by activating the base with retail politics…Hey @NassauNYGOP money does not buy votes, it’s respecting the wishes of the base that wins votes.#NY3 is #MAGA country and since MAGA was disrespected, MAGA stayed home!"