Sources: Tom Suozzi expected to announce run soon for 3rd Congressional District

Former Rep. Tom Suozzi has been making calls in recent weeks to shore up support among members of the New York congressional delegation and may announce a bid for his old seat as soon as next week, multiple sources told City & State. Suozzi, who gave up his seat for an ill-fated gubernatorial run last year, would join an already crowded field of Democrats seeking to replace scandal-ridden Rep. George Santos. 

Two Democratic sources with knowledge of the conversations that Suozzi has been having with key players told City & State that the former member of Congress has been making calls to his former colleagues in hopes of announcing his campaign with their endorsements. They also said that he’s likely to make an official announcement before the end of the month, potentially as soon as next week or the following week.

The announcement would come on the heels of a guilty plea by Santos’ former treasurer, which some political observers believe will soon lead to either his resignation or his expulsion from Congress. That would trigger a special election to fill his seat for the remainder of his term. Democratic and Republican leaders would nominate candidates to run in that case, giving the victor a leg up in any primaries that happen next year. Already, more than a dozen candidates from several parties have declared for next year’s crowded contest.

One Long Island source said Suozzi likely wouldn’t run unless there was a special election in order to avoid a primary, while another Democratic source believed he would run no matter what. But the news of Santos’ treasurer may have sped up Suozzi’s timeline in anticipation of a special election. Santos has resisted calls to resign in the face of federal indictments of fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and false statements. He has also faced scrutiny for a litany of lies told on the campaign trail about his resume and personal life.

Losing the race for governor cost Suozzi an influential spot on the House Ways and Means Committee as well as his seniority in the New York delegation. He placed a distant third in the Democratic primary for governor last year behind Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. After losing the race, Suozzi went to work for the consulting firm Actum. He did not return a request for comment.