U.S. House Office of Photography, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons / X, George Santos @mrSantosNYU, Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

On Friday, former New York Representative George Santos announced his decision to depart from the Republican Party, intending to pursue re-election to Congress as an independent candidate.

Santos, entangled in numerous federal charges and previously ousted from the House, expressed his dissatisfaction with the Republican party's principles, or lack thereof, in a social media post.

“After today’s embarrassing showing in the house I have reflected and decided that I can no longer be part of the Republican Party,” Santos wrote on X.

“The Republican Party continues to lie and swindle its voter base. I in good conscience cannot affiliate myself with a party that stands for nothing and falls for everything. I am officially suspending my petitioning in [New York's 1st Congressional District] to access the ballot as a Republican and will be filling to run as an independent… I will take my Ultra MAGA/Trump supporting values to the ballot in November as an Independent.”

This move comes after Santos had already declared his challenge against Republican Representative Nick LaLota for New York's 1st Congressional District during President Joe Biden's State of the Union address. LaLota, who had previously led efforts to expel Santos from Congress, did not hesitate to underscore his determination to confront Santos, whether in a primary battle or otherwise.

“If finishing the job requires beating him in a primary, count me in,” LaLota stated on March 7.

Santos faces a legal battle with 23 federal charges against him, including fraud related to Covid-19 unemployment benefits, misuse of campaign funds, and falsification of personal financial disclosures to the House. To qualify as an independent candidate in the upcoming November elections, Santos must submit a nominating petition bearing the signatures of 3,500 voters from New York's 1st District to the Suffolk County Board of Elections by May 28.