The Democrat hoping to win the seat of former congressman and fabulous liar George Santos says Biden’s advanced age raises questions about whether he will maintain his re-election bid.
Tom Suozzi, 61, is a former Democratic congressman who represented New York’s 3rd Congressional District from 2017 to 2023. He is working to regain the seat he once held in tonight’s special election after Santos was ousted from the House of Representatives last year, but is neck-and-neck with Republican candidate Mazi Pilip.
Following an ethics report showing that he improperly diverted campaign contributions to pay for it Botox treatments, Hermes bags, Fans only and casino withdrawals, Santos was voted out of Congress after only eleven months in office.
In a surprisingly harsh criticism of a fellow Democrat and the leader of his party, Suozzi took a shot at President Biden’s age on the eve of the special election.
“The bottom line is he’s old,” Suozzi told a local newscaster. “I know 81-year-olds who are in great shape and I know 81-year-olds who are not in great shape. He’s old and there’s no doubt about that.’
There is a “debate about whether (Biden) will hold out or not,” he added.
Suozzi’s comments come as renewed scrutiny of Biden’s age and abilities has taken center stage in Washington after an explosive Justice Department report claimed Biden has a “poor memory” and shows “diminished faculties.”
Tom Suozzi said Biden is “old and there’s no doubt about that” when he spoke on Good Day New York Monday morning, the day before the special election
George Santos was only the sixth House member to be expelled from the House in history
Later, Suozzi was non-committal when asked if he would support President Biden in the 2024 election. He said he would “probably” support the president, but that he would wait to “see what happens.”
A special election will be held tonight and polls will close at 9:00 PM ET. Long Island is currently being hit with snow from a Nor’easter storm that could impact turnout tonight.
A recent poll also found that 86 percent of Americans also believe Biden is “too old” to run for a second term.
Biden, for his part, has dismissed claims that he is too old and has scoffed at speculation about his memory.
“I know it doesn’t look like it, but I’ve been there for a while,” the president said Monday during a speech to the National Association of Counties.
“I remember that,” the 81-year-old Biden added.
Democrats on Capitol Hill, meanwhile, have eagerly supported the president’s 2024 bid and dismissed concerns about his age and abilities.
“The president is doing a fantastic job and I look forward to ensuring he is re-elected in 2024,” Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., told DailyMail.com on Monday.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut agreed, saying Biden is “as sharp as ever.”
President Joe Biden has come under scrutiny over his age following the release of the DOJ report
Mazi Pilip’s is an Israeli-American born in Ethiopia who served in the Israeli army
A Democratic victory in Tuesday’s special election would further reduce the already small Republican majority in the House of Representatives The Republicans have only 219 seats, while the Democrats have 212 seats.
Suozzi’s opponent, Republican candidate Mazi Pilip, 44, is the mother of seven children and an Israeli-American born in Ethiopia who served in the Israeli army before immigrating to the US. She was elected to the Nassau County Legislature in 2021.
In the weeks leading up to election day, both candidates have gone on the offensive, as a series of recent polls show Suozzi and Pilip at a statistical deadlock.
Pilip has worked to tie Suozzi, who served in the House of Representatives from 2017 to 2023, to President Joe Biden, claiming he voted with the president “100 percent of the time.”
Suozzi warns that Pilip will help pass a national abortion ban, a strong line of attack that Democrats have waged against Republicans since the Supreme Court overturned Roe. Pilip, who describes herself as pro-life, refutes his claim, saying she believes women have the right to make their own decision.
Polls in New York’s Third District opened at 6 a.m. ET and will remain open until 9 p.m. ET. Voters also had more than a week to cast their ballots in early voting.