Republicans Thursday picked a trailblazing Black Israeli immigrant to run for the seat left vacant by the expulsion of disgraced ex-GOP Rep. George Santos, a source familiar with the decision told the Daily News. Mazi Malesa Pilip, an Ethiopian-born Orthodox Jew and Israeli military veteran, will get the Republican and Conservative party nods even though she has long been registered as a Democrat. The winner will serve out the remainder of Santos’ original two-year term, which expires at the end of next year. Suozzi will go into the race as the favorite given he won the seat three times previously and is far better known. Unlike a normal congressional election, party leaders unilaterally get to pick the candidates in a special election without voters taking part in a primary election first.

Source: Ethiopian News December 14, 2023 19:47 UTC