Trump lashes out at Mazi Pilip, calls for ‘real’ GOP candidate to face Tom Suozzi in November election

Former President Donald Trump lashed out at fellow Republican Mazi Pilip — claiming she lost Tuesday’s special election to replace disgraced ex-Rep. George Santos because she didn’t endorse him for president.

Trump bashed Pilip on Truth Social and asked for “a real candidate” in the November general election to face off against Democrat Tom Suozzi, who beat Pilip to claim New York’s 3rd Congressional District seat.

Pilip, a 47-year-old Nassau County legislator, earned 46.1% of the votes behind Suozzi’s 53.8% with 93% of ballots tallied Tuesday night.

Suozzi, 61, previously represented much of the Long Island-Queens district for six years.

“Republicans just don’t learn, but maybe she was still a Democrat?” Trump wrote on his social media platform. “I have an almost 99% Endorsement Success Rate in Primaries, and a very good number in the General Elections, as well, but just watched this very foolish woman, Mazi Melesa Pilip, running in a race where she didn’t endorse me and tried to ‘straddle the fence,’ when she would have easily WON if she understood anything about MODERN DAY politics in America.”

Trump slammed Pilip after asking for “a real candidate” in the November general election to take down Democrat Tom Suozzi. REUTERS

Republican congressional candidate Mazi Pilip speaks to supporters after conceding to her opponent, Democratic candidate Tom Souzzi, in a special congressional election in East Meadow, New York, on Feb. 13, 2024. JUSTIN LANE/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

The ex-president claimed that his supporters in the district stayed home and didn’t vote because Pilip was not a part of the MAGA camp and did not endorse him for the 2024 presidential election nor seek his endorsement.

“Give us a real candidate in the district for November,” Trump wrote in all caps. “Suozzi, I know him well, can be easily beaten!”

Suozzi’s victory trims the Republicans’ majority in the House to 219-213.

Tom Suozzi celebrates his victory in the special election to replace Republican Rep. George Santos on Feb. 13, 2024 in Woodbury, New York. Getty Images

The Democrat — who has tried to paint himself as a candidate who will build bridges between party lines — took a shot at Trump in his victory speech Tuesday night.

“Let’s send a message to our friends running Congress these days: stop running around for Trump and start running the country,” he said. “It’s time to find common ground and start delivering for the people of the United States of America.”