WATCH: 'May Be Up Late Counting Votes' For Special Election: Expert

HEMPSTEAD, NY — There's one more month until voters decide who should take a seat in Congress for the ousted George Santos. Democrat Tom Suozzi, a career politician, is opposed by upstart County Legislator Mazi Pilip.

"I imagine that his campaign senses that she is not comfortable being out and discussing national issues," Lawrence Levy, Executive Dean of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University, told Patch. "He is confident in his mastery of various issues."

While Suozzi has accepted four televised debates, Pilip has thus far agreed to one debate— Feb. 8— just days before the special election.

Patch has requested interviews with both candidates ahead of voters going to the polls on Feb. 13.

But lack of media availabilities notwithstanding, Levy thinks she checks a lot of boxes for the GOP electorate in the 3rd District as an Orthodox Jew, originally from Ethiopia, who served in the Israel Defense Forces. Levy anticipates a tight race could be brewing on Feb. 13.

"Normally you'd think it wouldn't be. This was a plus-8 Biden district. Suozzi won the district comfortably in the past," Levy said. "But in the last few election cycles, Nassau County Republicans have rolled up big victories. We may be up late counting votes."

This race is unique, replacing Santos, who was expelled on December 1.

"Can Suozzi and the Democrats successfully hang Santos around Mazi Pilip's neck?" Levy pondered. "It clearly can't help her, but we'll see if it hurts her."

Watch the full "Patch Weekly Spotlight" interview with Lawrence Levy below.