Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi declared victory in his bid for a sixth term representing New York's 3rd Congressional District, defeating Republican Mike LiPetri in a race that drew national attention and money as both parties fought for control of a closely divided House seat. LiPetri, a 36-year-old former state Assembly member from Farmingdale, had not conceded the race as of Tuesday night.
According to Newsday, Suozzi defeated LiPetri on Tuesday in the district, which includes parts of Nassau, Suffolk and Queens counties. The New York Daily News reported that the 64-year-old Suozzi, who was seeking a fifth full term in the U.S. House, led 57-42 with about 60 percent of votes counted, according to unofficial AP results cited in that report. Suozzi, of Glen Cove, leaned into his moderate, bipartisan reputation throughout the campaign, the Daily News and Newsday both reported.
LiPetri, for his part, tried to tie Suozzi to what he described as the Democratic Party's ascendant socialist wing, per Newsday's reporting. The Long Island Press reported that Suozzi declared victory in his run for reelection to a sixth term, while LiPetri, the outlet noted, has not conceded the race.
A District With a Complicated Recent History
NY-03 has been a political hot potato for years. Suozzi originally served three terms representing the district before stepping aside in 2022 to make what turned out to be a failed primary run for governor, per the Daily News. The seat was then won by Republican George Santos, who was expelled from Congress in 2023 amid scandal. Suozzi won the seat back in a special election in February 2024 to replace Santos, Newsday reported.
That 2024 general-election margin is described differently across outlets: Newsday reported Suozzi won by 52%-48%, while the Daily News reported he defeated LiPetri by about 3%. The district itself, per the Daily News, remains closely divided between the parties and includes some Republican strongholds, along with a small slice of eastern Queens that ties its political mood to New York City's broader climate.
National Money and Big Names Poured Into the Race
This cycle's race for NY-03 was never going to stay a quiet local affair. President Donald Trump endorsed LiPetri in February, the night the Republican announced his candidacy, calling him a “MAGA Warrior” on Truth Social, Newsday reported. LiPetri also spoke at the Republican convention in Dallas in September, according to the Daily News.
Suozzi's campaign, meanwhile, featured appearances by Vice President JD Vance, House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Newsday's report noted. Outside GOP groups poured millions of dollars into late-campaign TV ads targeting Suozzi, the same Newsday report said — though the Daily News reported that GOP-leaning campaign groups ultimately abandoned their effort to boost LiPetri in the fall, shifting resources instead toward protecting seats held by more vulnerable Republican incumbents elsewhere. The Daily News also reported that Republicans had hoped to turn Suozzi into a midterm target by appealing to conservative Jewish voters' anger over New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's criticism of Israel.
Affordability and Social Security Took Center Stage
On the issues, the campaign centered on affordability, Social Security, public safety and the future of Long Island, according to the Long Island Press. Suozzi pushed a five-point affordability plan that called for eliminating tariffs he said had driven up the cost of groceries, vehicles and building materials, addressing the federal deficit, expanding domestic energy production and restoring health insurance premium tax credits, the outlet reported.
The stakes went well beyond Long Island. Competitive races in New York's 3rd, 4th and 17th congressional districts — among the state's wealthiest — could help determine whether Democrats regain control of the U.S. House, according to AP News. With LiPetri yet to concede, the final chapter of the NY-03 contest remains unwritten even as Suozzi claims the win.
