Former president Donald Trump endorsed Republican Mike LiPetri Saturday in his 3rd Congressional District race.
LiPetri is challenging incumbent Democrat Rep. Tom Suozzi, who flipped the seat to blue during a special election in February to replace disgraced former Rep. George Santos.
“Mike will be an INCREDIBLE America First Fighter in Congress, and will work hard to Grow the Economy, Lower Inflation, Uphold the Rule of Law, Defend the Border, Promote American Energy, and Support our Great Military and Police,” Trump wrote in a social media post. “Mike LiPetri has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”
Trump previously endorsed Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, a Republican incumbent running for re-election in the 4th Congressional District against former Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen.
LiPetri welcomed the endorsement and spoke in support of Trump’s own race for re-election.
“Four more years under the Biden-Harris Administration would be a disaster for our economy, our quality of life, and the well-being of our allies abroad,” LiPetri told Blank Slate Media in a statement. “With this endorsement, Republicans up and down the ballot are unified and committed to restoring common sense at home and abroad, securing our border, and protecting the interests of Long Island taxpayers.”
LiPetri, a former state Assemblyman and attorney, ran unsuccessfully in a primary for a seat in the 2nd Congressional District in 2020.
LiPetri is a CD-3 native from Farmingdale. The 33-year-old is focused on tackling crime, skyrocketing costs of living, and a lack of “common-sense” decision-making, according to his website.
The Democrats’ House Majority Pac slammed Trump’s endorsement of LiPetri and said it will lead to a win for Suozzi.
“Convicted criminal Donald Trump just gave Mike LiPetri’s campaign the kiss of death by praising his commitment to far-right MAGA extremism that will undermine our democracy,” House Majority Pac Press Secretary Alisha Heng said. “LiPetri has a shady record of being involved with criminals such as Trump and George Santos, and New Yorkers will swiftly reject him in November when they re-elect Rep. Tom Suozzi.”
The Pac’s mention of a “shady” deal with Santos references a New York Times story from last July, in which LiPetri allegedly was involved in a business deal with Santos resembling the “Nigerian prince” email scheme.
The Times said Santos, along with three other men, approached a loyal campaign donor and told him that a wealthy Polish citizen wanted to buy cryptocurrency but his funds were frozen in a bank account for unknown reasons.
Santos and the three men asked the donor to create a limited liability company to gain access to the funds, according to the campaign donor who remained anonymous in the story.
The newspaper said Santos partnered with LiPetri and Bryant Park Associates, which is run by Republican donor Dominick Sartorio, on the crypto deal.
LiPetri said he was not involved “in detail” in the deal.
“Mr. Santos only made the introductions. End of story,” Joseph Murray, LiPetri’s lawyer, told the New York Times.
Like getting an endorsement from Leprosy.