By Hank Russell
Mike LiPetri, the Republican challenger to incumbent Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), announced on July 9 that his campaign raised over $1 million in the second quarter across all campaign committees. His campaign said that this massive haul leads the way among Republican candidates, solidifying the competitive Third Congressional District as a top-targeted seat to flip in November. Since launching his campaign in February, LiPetri raised a total of approximately $2 million.
“People are tired of career politicians like Tom Suozzi who have made millions trading stocks in Congress while raising our taxes and creating a financial mess for our future,” LiPetri said. “The Terrible Trifecta of Horrible Hochul, Commie Mamdani, and Taxin’ Tom Suozzi is bad news for New York taxpayers and in November we will send a next-generation common-sense New Yorker to Congress.”
LiPetri, an attorney and former state Assemblyman, ran against Suozzi in 2024, coming within three percentage points of defeating the Democrat, despite being significantly outspent. In order to face Suozzi again, he had to fend off a primary challenge from attorney Greg Hach which he won.
He has received endorsements from President Donald Trump and Nassau County Executive and GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman. According to his campaign, Vice President J.D. Vance gave LiPetri an extended shout-out while in Nassau County and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota) headlined a late second-quarter fundraising event on Long Island for LiPetri.
“The Suozzi spiral is in full force right now as he tries to distance himself from AOC, Mamdani, and the radical communists who have taken over the Democrat Party but no amount of political spin can hide his real record of raising taxes, supporting amnesty, allowing men in girls’ sports, and opposing common-sense voter ID laws,” said LiPetri. “We have the resources, we have the local and national support, and most importantly, we have the will of the people who are tired of career politicians like Tom Suozzi who get rich trading stocks in Congress while we suffer. That ends in November.”
Long Island Life & Politics reached out to the Suozzi campaign, but did not hear back as of press time.