US Presidential Election Litmus Test: New York House Special Election Begins

New York House special election begins, The US presidential election litmus test, where is public sentiment? A special election for the New York House of Representatives began on the 13th, providing a measure of the current public sentiment of the American people ahead of the upcoming presidential election in November. This election, officially called the ‘New York State 3rd Congressional Special Election’, was held to fill the empty seat of Republican George Santos, who was expelled from the Federal House of Representatives on December 1 last year due to controversy over fake academic credentials.

At first glance, it may seem like one of the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, but it is attracting the attention of U.S. politicians as it serves as a kind of ‘litmus test’ to determine where public sentiment is tilted on issues such as immigration and abortion ahead of the presidential election in November. there is.

New York, USA, is a region with a clear progressive character that places emphasis on the values ​​of equality and tolerance. There is a strong feeling that as long as you plant the Democratic Party flag, you will be elected. The region held on this day (parts of Queens and Nassau County on Long Island) sided with President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. However, in the 2022 election, Republican Santos won by about 8 percentage points.

ABC Broadcasting said, “Long Island is home to many college-educated white people, and has been leaning toward the Republican Party in recent years.” This means that it is an area where no one side has a clear advantage. The victory here is said to have played a decisive role in giving the Republican Party a narrow but decisive majority in the House of Representatives.

For this reason, local media are analyzing this election as an opportunity to look at the public’s reaction to major issues that will become controversial ahead of the November presidential election. The candidates currently competing are Republican Margie Phillip and Democratic Party Tom Suhoji. Philip, currently a member of the Nassau County Council, was born in Ethiopia, immigrated to Israel, served in the Israeli army, and returned to the United States.

The Democratic Party is calling Philip a ‘handpicked’ candidate from MAGA, the extreme support group of former President Donald Trump. That’s how conservative it is. Tom Suhodge, who has 30 years of political experience, was the district’s representative from 2017 to 2023, and he has filed for the district to run for governor in 2022.

The election was held due to the corruption scandal of Santos, a Republican lawmaker, and since voters have elected Su Ho-ji three times in the past, it can be seen as an election favorable to Su Ho-ji. However, the situation is not so easy. This is because New Yorkers are full of dissatisfaction with President Joe Biden’s border and immigration issues. New York is currently facing difficulties in terms of security and budget due to the influx of immigrants crossing the border after 2022.

The New York Times (NYT) said, “Su Ho-ji’s campaign is facing a strong backlash from voters who are disappointed with Biden’s response to the immigrant crisis in New York City.” Republican candidate Philip also ran an election campaign with this in mind. He attacked Su Ho-ji as “a supporter of open borders,” and poured most of the TV advertising budget into content about ‘immigrants.’ The Washington Post (WP) said, “In order to overcome its vulnerability on the immigration issue, the Democratic Party released an advertisement related to abortion, an issue that is much more advantageous (to the Democratic Party).”

It is said that he took aim at the Republican Party, which is close to anti-abortion positions in progressive New York. Philip is an Orthodox Jew and the mother of seven children. The NYT said, “The political ramifications of this election extend far beyond the borders of Nassau County and Queens and could provide lessons for both parties ahead of the presidential election in November.” Axios, a U.S. political media outlet, said, “It will test the messages of both parties on the economy, immigration, and abortion.”

While the U.S. media was not making hasty predictions about the results of today’s election, the weather emerged as a variable. A snowstorm is raging in New York on the morning of the 13th. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for New York City and Long Island, and New York City schools were closed. U.S. media outlet Politico said, “A large-scale snowstorm could be bad news for Republican candidate Philip,” and added, “The Democratic Party has an advantage in absentee and in-person early voting.

Democratic-leaning voters had completed their voting when the weather was favorable, whereas Republican-leaning voters had to brave inclement weather to cast their ballots. The NYT also reported, “New York’s important House of Representatives election could be decided by a new issue called ‘snow.’” The snow is forecast to stop this afternoon. Voting closes at 9 p.m.

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