GOP Candidate Pilip Will Endorse Trump Unless He's Convicted

GREAT NECK, NY — It was initially planned as a debate between special election candidates, but became a one-on-one forum with Republican Mazi Pilip and Tom Suozzi, when Pilip opted out of a debate format on Tuesday night.

Pilip told PIX 11 that she decided to run for George Santos former congressional seat.

"As a mother of seven children, I want the same for my kids," Pilip said.

The Orthodox Jew was born in Ethiopia and spent many years in Israel. She said the southern border crisis is the main concern for constituents of the 3rd District.

"We have to secure the border as soon as possible," she said. "We need to hire more border control agents."

As Pilip and her husband and immigrants, she wants people to have the "American dream" and attain citizenship, "but we need to encourage to come to this country the right way, in the legal way."

While Pilip, a two-term Nassau County Legislator from Great Neck, is facing the former congressman Tom Suozzi, for a moment in the interview she appeared to be running against the president.

"Since Biden took president, Russia invaded Ukraine, Hamas attacked viciously Israel. Now we have this issue where we lost three American soldiers," Pilip said. "When you are weak, when you are signaling a weakness, this is exactly what's happening."

Former president Donald Trump is leading Nikki Haley for the Republican nomination and a rematch with Biden.

"We have two candidates who are both great," she said. "Once we know who's going to be the Republican nominee, absolutely I'll support."

Pilip said of Trump: "He was a great president. He did great things for America. He improved our economy. He was very strong on the international level."

The one caveat Pilip gave for endorsing another Trump presidency involves the numerous indictments.

"Nobody's above the law. If he's convicted he cannot represent us," Pilip said. "Right now he's now he's going through the process to prove to us he's innocent."

Special election is Feb. 13 with early voting starting on Feb. 3.