Retired NYPD Cop Sapraicone Will Primary Rep. Santos

Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., will face more than the law. He is going to face a 2024 GOP primary challenge from a man of the law.

Retired New York Police Department Detective Mike Sapraicone announced his campaign for New York's 3rd Congressional District.

"My campaign for Congress is about honest public service and hard work because my neighbors in Queens and Long Island deserve nothing less," Sapraicone wrote in a statement Tuesday, noting his two decades in the NYPD and "building a global security company from the ground up."

"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."

While Santos is facing a 13-count federal indictment on fraud and theft charges, putting the GOP in a difficult position with an incumbent candidate.

Sapraicone says the distractions have "neglected" the district's constituents.

"I am also laser focused on delivering for the constituents of the 3rd District on Long Island and in Queens," his statement concluded. "They have been unfairly neglected. Constituent service will be a cornerstone of my campaign and time in office – whether it is helping a resident get a passport or making sure our communities get our fair share of funding from Washington, I will be there for them, and that's a promise.

"No problem too small. And I am prepared to work across the aisle to get things done and end the dysfunction in Washington."

Sapraicone already has the support of former Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, R-N.Y.

"Throughout his career and personal life, Mike Sapraicone has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to protecting our quality of life and strengthening our community," D'Amato wrote in a statement. "From his early days walking a beat in New York to his success in creating a business in the security industry to his quiet but considerable philanthropic support of charitable institutions, to his advocacy on behalf of veterans, I can't think of a more appropriate candidate to represent the Third Congressional District."

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