Just three months after being expelled from Congress and after declaring he would not seek reelection, former Republican New York Rep. George Santos has decided that he will throw his hat back in the ring.
On Thursday night, Santos shared a post on X, formerly Twitter, announcing his plans to challenge Rep. Nicholas J. LaLota (R-N.Y.).
The announcement arrived while Santos was attending the State of the Union address in Washington, D.C.
“Tonight, I want to announce that I will be returning to the arena of politics and challenging Nick [LaLota] for the battle over #NY1,” Santos wrote. “I look forward to debating him on the issues and on his weak record as a Republican. The fight for our majority is imperative for the survival of the country.”
LaLota called for an investigation into Santos in December 2022 and his expulsion from Congress a year later.
“New York hasn’t had a real conservative represent them since I left office arbitrarily,” Santos said in the post, adding: “[LaLota] is willing to risk the future of our majority and the future of this country for his own political gain.”
In December, Santos was expelled from Congress after an investigation and scathing report from the House ethics committee revealed that he spent thousands of dollars in campaign funds on personal products and services, including Botox, an OnlyFans subscription and Hermès designer products.
The former representative also faces a 23-count federal indictment alleging conspiracy, cheating to get unemployment benefits and credit card fraud, among other crimes. He has also previously been criticized for lying on his resume several times and misleading people with lies about himself, his life and his family.
Santos had avoided two other expulsion attempts in the past, but lawmakers voted on ousting him following the report and investigation.
In the wake of the report, which the former congressman described as “biased” and an attempt to smear him, Santos declared that he would not seek reelection. He was replaced by Tom Suozzi (D), who was selected to carry out the remainder of Santos’ term.
Prior to Thursday’s announcement, returning to Congress appeared to be the last thing on Santos’ mind over the last few months, as he turned his focus to a gig selling Cameo videos upon request.
In his post on X, however, he seemed to share what inspired his comeback, while explaining why he attended the State of the Union address.
“I came to the SOTU with an open mind and heart because I believe in the great idea that is the United States of America,” he wrote.
“I just witnessed a weak, frail president deliver spin and lies to the American people from inside the chambers. I have made several personal sacrifices in the name of serving the American people. My promise is that I will never back down because of my love for this country.”