Former Rep. Tom Suozzi projected to win New York special election: AP

Former New York Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi will reclaim his old seat in the House after claiming victory in a special election Tuesday evening to replace the ousted Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y.

The Associated Press projected Suozzi to win the seat with 58.7% of the vote, beating out Republican Mazi Pilip, a county legislator and veteran of the Israeli Defense Forces.

Suozzi did not seek reelection to the seat in 2022, instead opting to challenge New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul for the party's gubernatorial nomination. Santos won election to the Third Congressional District in that cycle, but was expelled from the House last year in the wake of a damning House Ethics Committee report on his alleged misdeeds.

He will serve the remainder of Santos's term, but must again run in the November general election to secure a full term.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.