Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) might soon be meeting his replacement.
Polling has shown Santos doesn’t seem very popular in his district — even among Republicans — after news stories outlined an extensive series of lies he’d evidently told about his personal, family, educational, and professional backgrounds. He claimed to have attended certain colleges and that his family was Jewish, having in part escaped Adolf Hitler’s violence in Europe — but he never went to those institutions, and no documentation has evidently emerged supporting that key family members of his were even born in Europe. It’s more than just that, though, although such raises serious doubts about his basic credibility. Santos has also faced substantial questions about his campaign spending and personal income, including the actual origins of hundreds of thousands of dollars in ostensibly personal loans he originally claimed to have provided his campaign.
Per reports, Anna Kaplan — a Democrat who formerly served as a state Senator in the area Santos represents — has filed formal documentation with the Federal Election Commission (an entity in the U.S. federal government) outlining her intention to run. Kaplan, ironically, is herself Jewish. And according to a publication called Gothamist, there was apparent confirmation of her campaign from Jay Jacobs, who is currently serving as chairman of the state Democratic Party in New York. “Jay Jacobs, the state Democratic Party chair, told Gothamist that Kaplan had called him,” Gothamist said, and Jacobs spoke of her campaign. “She’s run for office, so she certainly merits serious consideration,” Jacobs said.
Santos remains in his first term, having replaced a Democrat in a surprise win. There have been serious questions circulating about his campaign spending, including what allegations have suggested covered rent at a residence where he himself was staying. There are generally strict prohibitions against using campaign funds for personal expenses like rent and bills. In Congress, Santos isn’t doing much. He withdrew himself from the committee roles he would have held and has introduced a series of ill-fated bills repeatedly sporting zero House co-sponsors, which isn’t normal for legislation.
