George Santos abandons Congressional comeback attempt due to lack of fundraising efforts | Lifestyle

Former U.S. Rep. George Santos Drops Bid for Congress Amid Federal Fraud Charges

Former U.S. Rep. George Santos announced on Tuesday that he is withdrawing his bid to return to Congress, citing a lack of support and fundraising for his campaign. Santos, who was running as an independent candidate for the 1st Congressional District in New York, made the announcement on social media platform X.

Santos, who was expelled from the House last year while facing federal fraud charges, had launched a campaign to challenge Republican Rep. Nick LaLota in the GOP primary for the eastern Long Island congressional district. However, he later decided to run as an independent.

In a statement on X, Santos expressed his concerns about splitting the vote and potentially handing the seat to Democrats. He acknowledged his differences with LaLota but emphasized the importance of preventing a Democratic victory in the race.

Santos was expelled from the House in December following a damning ethics committee report that found him guilty of lawbreaking and deemed him untrustworthy. He is currently facing federal charges related to deceiving Congress, campaign finance violations, and fraudulent unemployment claims.

Despite his decision to withdraw from the current race, Santos did not rule out seeking office in the future. He stated, “It’s only goodbye for now. I’ll be back.”

Santos’ trial for the federal charges is tentatively scheduled for later this year. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.