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Former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) has declared his candidacy for Congress, challenging Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY), just months after his expulsion from the House. His announcement coincided with President Biden’s State of the Union address, marking Santos’ first return to the Capitol since his departure.

Santos, expelled in December amidst over 20 criminal charges for various allegations, including donor deception and unauthorized credit card charges, aims to reclaim representation for New York.

Santos criticized LaLota in a statement, accusing him of jeopardizing the political majority and the country for personal gain. “New York hasn’t had a real conservative represent them since I left office arbitrarily, thanks to RINO, empty suits like Nick LaLota. He is a willing to risk the future of our majority and the future of this country for his own political gain. Tonight, I want to announce that I will be returning to the arena of politics and challenging Nick for the battle over NY-1. I look forward to debating him on the issues and on his weak record as a Republican. The fight for our majority is imperative for the survival of the country.”

The competition between Santos and LaLota has been apparent, with Santos previously disparaging LaLota as a “meathead” and questioning his popularity among constituents. Santos argued that without GOP support, LaLota’s position in Congress would be unattainable.

On the other hand, LaLota has taken a strong stance against Santos, leading efforts to expel him and expressing readiness to confront him in a primary if necessary to “finish the job.”