Queens Republican To Challenge Suozzi In Congressional Race

LITTLE NECK, QUEENS — A Queens-born finance professional who's done stints at CitiGroup and Goldman Sachs is mounting a Republican challenge to U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, who is running for a third term next year representing northeast Queens and Long Island.

George Anthony Devolder Santos was born in Jackson Heights to Brazilian immigrant parents and studied economics and finance at Baruch College, according to a press release announcing his campaign. He now leads a business development team at LinkBridge Investors.

From 2013 to 2018, he ran a non-profit animal rescue organization called Friends of Pets United.

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At 31 years old I am happy to say I’ve made mostly the right decisions up until now. I’m blessed to have been raised by two inspiring parents and given the opportunity to grow up in a multi cultural home, I’m ready to start this new chapter in my life and champion the family values I cherish and march into DC and uphold the constitution of the United States of America! I look forward to this campaign and guarantee we will put forward a clean and transparent fight for the seat, I look very much forward to meeting new people within the district to learn what is it they so desperately need done for the betterment of their lives. #devoldersantosforcongress #usa #taxes #taxessuck #stopsocialism #constitution #godblessamerica #youngrepublican #republican #republicanparty #conservative #gayrepublicans #trump2020 #trump #americafirst
A post shared by Devolder Santos for Congress (@devoldersantosforcongress) on Nov 10, 2019 at 12:58am PST

Devolder Santos' campaign platform includes tax cuts for the middle class, supporting charter schools and vocational education, immigration enforcement, tough anti-gang measures, mental health screenings for students, embracing nuclear power as a renewable energy source and protecting the right to bear arms.

"America is under attack," he said in a statement announcing his campaign. "This time the attack is within. It's coming from radical leftists who are trying to destroy our most basic traditions and the very foundations of our Constitutional Republic."

Suozzi — whose congressional district includes Little Neck, Whitestone, Glen Oaks and Floral Park and Long Island's North Shore — already faces a Democratic primary challenger in attorney Michael Weinstock, according to the Queens Daily Eagle.

Weinstock, a volunteer firefighter and former Brooklyn prosecutor, said he plans to challenge Suozzi from the left. He would be the first openly gay man to represent New York City in Congress, the Eagle reported.

While the district has long had a Democratic representative in Congress, it is been more competitive on the presidential level.

President Barack Obama won the district by just three points in 2012, according to Roll Call. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton won the district by a six-point margin in 2016, compared to a statewide margin of 22.5 points, the Associated Press reported.