In a key race update, Democrat Tom Suozzi continues to maintain his lead with 61.1% of the vote, based on 14% of the estimated vote count. Suozzi currently has 15,552 votes, which puts him roughly 5,600 votes ahead of his Republican opponent, Mazi Pillup, who holds 38.9% of the vote. However, it is important to note that the race is still in its early stages, with many votes yet to be counted.
The Trump factor in this special election is an interesting aspect to consider. President Donald Trump has chosen to stay away from this particular race, and Ms. Pillup herself only revealed her vote for him a few days ago, albeit reluctantly. The avoidance of the Trump campaign in this race is likely due to the negative association with endorsements made during the 2022 midterms, which yielded lackluster results for the Republican party. As Donald Trump moves closer to securing the nomination, his team is being more cautious in selecting races to endorse.
