Former NYPD detective running for George Santos seat in Congress

Retired New York Police Department detective Mike Sapraicone on Tuesday announced a 2024 primary challenge to U.S. Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who is running for a second term despite awaiting trial on more than a dozen criminal charges and having little support from his own political party.

In a statement announcing his campaign for New York’s Third Congressional District, Sapraicone pledged to “bring back honest public service” to the congressional office and to focus on the constituents, who he claims have been “unfairly neglected.” 

Sapraicone said he would work across the political aisle to get things done in Congress.

“My campaign for Congress is about honest public service and hard work because my neighbors in Queens and Long Island deserve nothing less,” he said in the statement. “I’m running for Congress to return integrity and a respected voice to the office, and to focus on issues like public safety, border security, and fiscal responsibility to get our country back on the right track.”

Sapraicone worked in law enforcement for 20 years, ultimately becoming a first-grade detective in the NYPD, according to his campaign’s press release. He started a global security firm on Long Island, which the press release said employs more than 600 active and retired members of law enforcement.  

Sapraicone joins a crowded field of candidates looking to unseat Santos, which includes at least two other Republicans, at least six Democrats and at least one independent. 

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report listed New York's Third Congressional District as the only U.S. congressional district held by a Republican that “leans Democratic” in the upcoming 2024 election cycle.

Santos is currently awaiting trial on 13 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and lying to the U.S. House of Represented. He was charged in May and, if convicted, could face up to 20 years in prison. Santos has pleaded not guilty.

Allegations that Santos misled donors and misrepresented his finances to the public and government agencies led to numerous investigations, including by the House Ethics Committee. 

House Democrats last week unveiled a resolution to censure Santos, after an earlier attempt to expel him from Congress failed.  

Santos also lacks support from within his own party. Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said last month that Santos should not run for reelection, saying in a Fox News interview, “We’re going to keep that seat with another Republican.”

Santos responded at the time saying that would not deter him from seeking a second bid. 

“Dear Media, I plan on continuing to serve the people of NY3. Providing excellent constituent services to the people of NY03 and proposing common sense conservative legislation for the betterment of our nation. Speaker McCarthy’s comments do not change my intention of running,” Santos tweeted.