New York GOP selects Mazi Pilip as nominee to fill George Santos seat

LONG ISLAND - New York Republicans have selected Nassau County legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip as the nominee for the special election to fill disgraced former Rep. George Santos's seat, sources tell FOX 5 NY.

The announcement comes a week after Democrats selected former U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi as their nominee. 

Pilip was born in Ethiopia and migrated to Israel when she was 12. 

She was part of a major covert mission called Operation Solomon. In May 1991, the Israeli military transported more than 14-thousand Ethiopian Jews to Israel in just 36 hours.

The war in Israel hits close to home for the Nassau County legislator. 

FOX 5 NY's Jodi Goldberg interviewed Pilip in late October where she talked about her about the state of Israel and fighting antisemitism.

Pilip speaks passionately about Israel and fighting antisemitism any chance she gets. She served in the IDF before coming to the U.S. Her family, many of them still overseas, watched in horror as the terror unfolded.

Pilip's sister is a detective in Israel, assigned to protect the homeland.

"She’s working 12 to 13 hours and stopping cars, and you never know if that car is a terrorist's car," Pilip said.

Pilip has taken on an active role in empowering the greater Long Island community since 2022.

Suozzi also has deep ties and name recognition in the Long Island election, where voters will have a limited amount of time to pick their representative.

The special election to fill the Third Congressional District of New York seat is set for Feb. 13.

Both parties have zeroed in on New York as a battleground for the House.