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Metro

Jewish activists want Nassau pol Mazi Pilip to run for expelled George Santos’ seat

By
Carl Campanile
Published Dec. 10, 2023, 6:04 p.m. ET

Jewish activists are urging the Republican Party to nominate Nassau County legislator Mazi Pilip — a former Israeli paratrooper — to run to replace expelled ex-Rep. George Santos in the House of Representatives, sources familiar with the selection process said Sunday.

“Mazi got a lot of support in the Jewish community. We’re talking strong support,” a Republican insider said.

Sources noted that it’s no coincidence that Pilip attended one of the fundraisers co-hosted by House Speaker Mike Johnson in New York last week, accompanied by prominent donors in the party, sources said.

“If Mazi wants the nomination — she gets it. The question is, does she want it,” the GOP source familiar with the discussions said.

Nassau County legislator Mazi Pilip
Nassau County legislator Mazi Pilip, a former Israeli paratrooper, is one name being floated to run for the Congressional seat vacated by disgraced ex-Rep. George Santos. Mazi Pilip / facebook

“If it’s not Mazi, it’s a jump ball.” 

Pilip, an Ethiopian refugee who previously lived in Israel, was twice elected to the Nassau County legislature in Democratic-leaning North Hempstead, which includes heavily Jewish Great Neck.

She is a registered Democrat, though Republicans don’t see that as a problem.

With the Hamas-Israel war raging, GOP officials said they believe Jewish voters disgusted and outraged with left-wing Democrats’ support of the Palestinian cause and a ceasefire after Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7 could turn out and vote for their candidate.

But the Democratic Party has already nominated former Congressman and Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, a moderate and long a strong booster of Israel, to run in the Feb. 13 special election in the 3rd Congressional District that covers a big part of Nassau, parts of Suffolk and Queens.

Republicans aren’t expected to announce their nominee until later in the week, said retired Long Island Congressman Peter King, who represented an adjacent district.

“There are people being vetted right now,”  King said.

He said there are a handful of candidates in contention, without naming names.

Among them is Michael Sapraicone, a former NYPD detective and security consultant — though one GOP official winced after hearing that Sapraicone has donated $30,000 to Suozzi’s campaigns over the years. 

Another candidate is Daniel Norber, a former member of the Israel Defense Forces who was in Israel for the Jewish holidays during the Hamas attack and spoke with The Post from a bomb shelter at the time.

Former NY GOP Rep. George Santos.
Democrats, meanwhile, have already nominated former Congressman and Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, a moderate and long a strong booster of Israel, to attempt to wrest Santos’ former seat from GOP control. AFP via Getty Images

With the GOP nominee to replace Santos still unknown, Suozzi, a proven vote-getter and battle-tested campaigner, stumped Saturday in Levittown, a Republican stronghold in the district, to begin making his case.

The launch was was held outside the home of Tom Cavanagh, a veteran and retired NYPD deputy police inspector, who is a registered Republican.

“I have always worked with anyone of goodwill, regardless of party affiliation, if it meant working to fix things and deliver results to the people I represented,” Suozzi said Saturday.