GOP Rep. Santos gets a primary challenger

New York Republican Rep. George Santos will face another challenger in the party's 2024 primary as he seeks to keep his seat amid myriad scandals and criminal charges.

Retired New York Police Department detective Mike Sapraicone announced his challenge on Tuesday, joining a crowded primary field that has at least two other Republicans looking to boot the incumbent lawmaker from the GOP ticket, The Hill reported.

"My campaign for Congress is about honest public service and hard work because my neighbors in Queens and Long Island deserve nothing less," Sapraicone said. "I'm running for Congress to return integrity and a respected voice to the office, and to focus on issues like public safety, border security, and fiscal responsibility to get our country back on the right track."

Sapraicone is a 20-year law enforcement veteran and has since started a global security firm.

Since flipping the competitive New York district in November 2022, the Republican has faced a seemingly endless series of bombshell revelations about his past, fueling calls for his resignation, which he has resisted.

He pleaded not guilty in May to 13 federal charges, among them wire fraud, money laundering, and stealing public funds. He has also admitted to fabricating parts of his resume during the campaign, acknowledging that he never worked for Goldman Sachs or Citigroup as he claimed, but for a third firm, Link Bridge, that he says did business with both.

Santos has also faced scrutiny over his claims that his family fled Nazi Germany to escape the Holocaust and fielded accusations that he performed as a drag queen in Brazil.

He has filed to run for reelection in 2024 and remains committed to pursuing that campaign.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.