February 14, 2024

Tom Suozzi lost that congressional seat to George Santos back in 2022 due to Democratic overconfidence and a crazy new redistricting map. Last night, he corrected that mistake. Via Politico:

Tom Suozzi’s victory Tuesday is yet another in a string of Democratic wins and overperformances in special elections. But it’s especially notable that Suozzi, the district’s former representative, won by a larger-than-expected margin in places that had swung against his party in recent years.

Unlike most other suburbs across the country, Long Island and the outer boroughs of New York City have raced to the right since former President Donald Trump left office. Between 2021 and 2023, Republicans won the Island’s four congressional seats and almost every major local office, and the GOP gubernatorial nominee won both of Long Island’s counties by double digits in 2022.

Suozzi’s win broke that streak in resounding fashion. And he did it while operating mostly on defense over immigration, pitching himself as a moderate who would work with both parties to restrict migration across the southern border — a strategy that puzzled some Democrats at the time but now may provide a game plan for neutering the issue in other races.

“It’s time to find common ground and to start delivering for the people” of the country, Suozzi said in his victory speech.

Perpetual loser Trump of course jumped in to reassure everyone it was not his fault:

Which of course is a lie. Pilip voted for him in 2020, and endorsed him for 2024.

And Pennsylvania Democrats once again regain their state House majority, according to early returns in a special election in Lower Bucks County. Via the Inquirer:

Jim Prokopiak won Tuesday’s special election and reaffirmed Democrats’ one-seat majority in the state House, according to The Associated Press, which called the race for him at 8:07 p.m., just after polls closed.

Prokopiak — who will represent Falls Township, Tullytown, Morrisville and parts of Middletown Township — was running against Republican Candace Cabanas to fill a vacancy created by longtime Democratic Rep. John Galloway’s resignation in December. He left office after being elected as a magisterial district judge.

Prokopiak, 49, is an attorney and Pennsbury School District board member. He previously served as a Falls Township supervisor, where he worked with now-Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie. Cabanas, 45, is a restaurant server and former health-care aide.

State Democrats have had to defend their majority four times in the past year, since they first took control of the state House. Abortion was a key issue -- and so was the funding poured into the races from national Democrats.

They say special elections are a reliable indicator of the general election, so I'd say things are looking good for Democrats.

Ain't that the truth.

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