Rep. Santos announces 2024 reelection bid

In his announcement, the congressman for New York's 3rd District said, "This is about TAKING BACK our country and restoring greatness back to New York."

The House Ethics Committee opened an inquiry into Santos in March over lies about his background and questions regarding his campaign finances.

News 12's Doug Geed spoke to Santos Monday after the congressman made the announcement.

"I ran for office to come make a change and to deliver on the campaign promises I made," Santos said. "I might have had some shortcomings in my own life, and I think we're all exposable to that, right? So, I stand here committed to deliver the same campaign promises that I made during the 2022 cycle."

Santos touted his first action in Congress as introducing the SALT Relief Act, which raised the SALT cap to $50,000.

"Folks on Long Island have been hurting for it - I was an open critic about President Trump despite being his supporter back in 2017 when he did pass the measure," Santos says.

The freshman GOP congressman has come under fire from residents, local elected officials and community groups in his district for not being responsive to them. Santos says he has resolved over half of the over 230 case works his office has received. He says he is also meeting with constituents in Washington D.C. and in the 3rd Congressional District.

Long Island Republicans have previously called on Santos to resign and have said they will not support him if he decides to run again.

"I'm not scared of them," Santos said. "I'm not running to serve politicians; I'm not running to serve the Republican Party of Nassau County. I'm here to serve the American people."

Former Republican Rep. Peter King, of Seaford, says he believes Santos has a better chance of not fulfilling his first term than winning a second term.

"If he ever got the Republican nomination, which he won't, he would get destroyed in the general election," King says. "In fact, I think there's a very good chance that he'll be removed from the House of Representatives sometime this summer."

Santos' latest filing shows he has $25,000 in campaign funds - a fraction of what political experts say he should have at this point in his term.

Statement of Nassau County Republican Committee Chairman Joseph G. Cairo, Jr:

"The Nassau County Republican Committee is focused on the future, and George Santos has no place in upcoming Nassau GOP campaigns. We will not nominate George Santos for re-election to Congress or for any other office. The serial liar has disgraced the House of Representatives and has deceived the public. His actions and comments have been designed to mislead the public about his background, qualifications and virtually every other facet of his public persona.

If George Santos should actually launch a re-election campaign, the Nassau County Republican Committee will nominate a well-qualified candidate who is honest, forthright and worthy of the public's trust and support. The Nassau GOP has interacted with several prospective candidates who would defeat the 'pretender' who is currently occupying the office and win election against all other prospective opponents.

It's time for George Santos to go!"

Statement from New York Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs:

"George Santos is 16 days late. April Fools' Day was on the first of this month, and that would have been a more appropriate date to announce his re-election campaign.

I am sure that Congressmembers D'Esposito, Garbarino, Lalota, Lawler, Molinaro, and Williams are all very excited to be running with George Santos.

If these Representatives had done more to pressure Speaker Kevin McCarthy to bring a vote to expel him rather than just pay lip service, they would have been spared the embarrassment of running with George Santos, or whatever his name is."

More from News 12

0:22