Zimmerman concedes to Santos in Long Island-Queens district – Spectrum News NY1
Democrat Robert Zimmerman conceded to Republican George Santos early Wednesday morning in the race to represent a newly drawn district in Queens and Nassau counties, a spokesperson told Spectrum News.
Santos leads 54.2% to 45.8% with 92.8% of the votes reporting as of Tuesday night, according to The Associated Press.
It is believed to be the first congressional general election between two openly gay candidates in U.S. history.
Am told @ZimmermanforNY has conceded in #NY03, per spokesperson
— Kevin Frey (@KevinFreyTV) November 9, 2022
The campaign became key to both Republicans and Democrats with each party hoping to win a majority in Congress. Voters ultimately chose Santos in a district that voted for President Joe Biden by eight percentage points in 2020.
Santos, an investor who ran for Congress last cycle, focused on cost-of-living issues and crime. He withstood criticisms from Zimmerman on his support for Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” legislation and attendance of the White House rally on Jan. 6
Santos said Trump was at his “full awesomeness that day,” in an interview with former President Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump.
The 34-year-old, who told Spectrum News it was more challenging coming out as a conservative in New York City than as a gay man, also avoided a hard line on abortion restrictions. He said he would not vote for a federal law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, but agreed with the Supreme Court decision to send the question of abortion restrictions back to the states.
“Anything outside of crime, inflation, and the cost of energy this cycle is a distraction from what’s really hurting Americans,” Santos told Spectrum News.
