>>> RIGHT NOW ON NEWS 4 THE
POLLS JUST CLOSED AND THE
BALLOTS ARE BEING COUNTED AND
WE ARE ONE STEP CLOSER TO
FINDING OUT WHO WILL REPRESENT
NEW YORK’S THIRD CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT.
GOOD EVENING, I AM NATALIE
PASCARELLA.
>> AND I AM DAVID USSERY.
TOM SUOZZI AND MAZI PILIP ARE
FACING OFTEN A SPECIAL ELECTION
TO FILL A HOUSE SEAT VACATED BY
EXPO CONGRESSMAN GEORGE SANTOS.
BOATS ARE BEING TALLIED RIGHT
NOW AND WE WILL BRING YOU THOSE
RESULTS AS SOON AS THEY START
TO COME IN.
>> WE DO HAVE TEAM COVERAGE OF
THE SELECTION OF DEMOCRATS HOPE
TO FLIP THE FEEDBACK.
WE BEGIN AT THE CAMPAIGN
HEADQUARTERS IN WOODBURY.
GREG?
>> Reporter: THIS IS AN
INTERESTING MOMENT FOR DEMOCRAT
TOM SUOZZI.
DURING THE CAMPAIGN THE FORMER
EXECUTIVE AND TWO-TERM
CONGRESSMAN TOLD US THAT AFTER
HIS FAILED BID FOR GOVERNOR TWO
YEARS AGO HE THOUGHT HIS PUBLIC
LIFE WAS OVER WITH GEORGE
SANTOS BEING EXPELLED FROM
CONGRESS RECENTLY, THE
DEMOCRATIC LEADERS WOULD ONCE
BEEN AT ODDS WITH SUOZZI CAME
BACK WITH HIM AND ASKED HIM TO
UNDERTAKE THIS INTENSE TWO
MONTH SPECIAL ELECTION RACE AND
HERE WE ARE.
TODAY, SUOZZI SPENT THE FINAL
HOURS OF HIS CAMPAIGN WITH
VOLUNTEERS IN WESTBURY . THEY
CHANTED HIS NAME EVEN AS HE
URGED THEM TO KEEP WORKING TO
GET OUT THE VOTE ON THIS SNOWY
TUESDAY.
IT REALLY WAS A TYPICAL DAY FOR
THE DEMOCRAT.
HE HAS SPENT THE LAST TWO
MONTHS CRISSCROSSING THIS
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT THAT
SPANS PARTS OF NASSAU COUNTY
AND QUEENS.
AT ONE POINT HE EVEN SURPRISES
REPUBLICAN APPOINTED --
OPPONENT MAZI PILIP BY SHOWING
UP AT ONE OF HER NEWS CONFERENCE OUTSIDE A MIGRANT
SHELTER IN QUEENS.
SUOZZI SAID HE DID THAT TO
COUNTER HER CLAIMS THAT SUOZZI
IS TO BLAME FOR THE MIGRANT
CRISIS.
THE TWO CANDIDATES HEAVILY
DEBATED ONE SO FAR AND THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT SUOZZI HAS
TALKED A LOT ABOUT COMPLAINING
THAT HIS OPPONENT HAS BEEN
HIDING DURING THE CAMPAIGN
TRYING TO AVOID VOTER SCRUTINY
BECAUSE OF HER LACK OF
EXPERIENCE AND PREPAREDNESS FOR
THIS JOB.
BUT SUOZZI’S LONG RECORD IN
SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
HAVE ALSO COME UNDER SCRUTINY.
THE DEMOCRAT HAS TRIED TO
COUNTER THAT BY POSITIONING
HIMSELF AS A MODERATE WHO WAS
WILLING TO BUCK HIS PARTY AND
WORK WITH REPUBLICANS.
TODAY, TOM SUOZZI AND -- WITH
A FINAL PITCH TO VOTERS WHEN
AFTER HIS OPPONENT AND TRY TO
ACCENTUATE HIS EXPERIENCE.
LET’S HEAR WHAT TOM SUOZZI HAD
TO SAY AND ALSO WE HEAR FROM
SOME VOTERS WHO CAST BALLOTS IN
THIS RACE.
>> LISTEN, IF YOU WANT CHANGE
IN WASHINGTON, D.C., I AM YOUR
CANDIDATE BECAUSE -- BECAUSE
WASHINGTON, D.C. IS BROKEN AND
EVERYTHING IS ABOUT
PARTISANSHIP AND FIGHTING AND
FIGHTING AND FIGHTING.
IN MY WHOLE CAMPAIGN, IT’S
ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER
AND THAT IS THE CHANGE PEOPLE.
SHE IS NOT VERY CLEAR ABOUT
WHAT HER POSITIONS ARE.
SHE WON’T STAND UP AND SAY WHAT
SHE BELIEVED IN.
HE WAFFLES ALL OVER THE PLACE.
IT IS REALLY SANTOS 2.0.
IN THIS TIME OF TRANSPARENCY
WHEN VOTERS REALLY WANT TO KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT I
DON’T THINK THAT SHE HAS TOLD
US.
>> HE HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THIS
AREA FOR QUITE A BIT.
HE HAS BEEN IN CONGRESS BEFORE.
CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT, YOU
KNOW, HE HAS THE EXPERIENCE, HE
KNOWS WHAT WE WANT IN NEW YORK,
I THINK HE IS THE RIGHT PERSON.
>> WE NEED SOMEONE IN OFFICE
THAT WILL LOOK OUT FOR THE
PEOPLE AND CONTINUE TO DO THE
WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE, NOT
JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY PLAN
ON DOING AND WHAT THEY WANT TO
DO AND NOT DO IT.
>> Reporter: NOW THAT THE POLLS
HAVE CLOSED IN NEW YORK ALL
THAT IS LEFT IS COUNTING THE
VOTES.
WE SPOKE A SHORT TIME AGO WITH
THE DEMOCRATIC LEADER HERE IN
NASSAU COUNTY AND, DAVID AND
NATALIE, WE HAVE BEEN
DISCUSSING ALL DAY VOTER
TURNOUT IN THE SNOW, WHILE JAY
JACOBS THE PARTY LEADER TOLD US
ABOUT 80,000 PEOPLE VOTED TODAY
IN ADDITION TO THE 66,000 PASS
EARLY VOTES AND HE SAID THAT AS
A POSITIVE SIGN FOR DEMOCRATS,
ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT WANT TO GO
OUT ON A LIMB AND PREDICT THE
OUTCOME OF THIS RACE.
WHETHER HE WINS OR LOSES
TONIGHT THOUGH SOME SWAZI --
TOM SUOZZI SAYS HE WILL RUN FOR
THE SEAT ALL THE WAY THROUGH
TO THE GENERAL ELECTION IN
NOVEMBER.
WE ARE LIVE IN WOODBERRY, GREG CERGOL, NEWS 4 NEW YORK.
>> GREG THANK YOU.
NOW TO ANDREW.
>> Reporter: I WANT TO PICK UP
ON THE MATH THAT GREAT JUST
TALKED ABOUT.
ABOUT 60,000 PEOPLE VOTING AND
ABOUT 80,000 IN THE EARLY VOTE
ADDS UP TO ABOUT 140,000, BUT
THAT IS ABOUT HALF OF THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE -- OF PEOPLE
WHO VOTED IN THE SANTOS AND
ZIMMERMAN RACE TWO YEARS AGO.
HALF THE TURNOUT.
IT MAKES IT HAVE TO FIGURE OUT
WHO EXACTLY IS COMING OUT TO
VOTE AND THAT IS WHY THERE IS A
LOT OF SUSPENSE AS TO HOW THE
NUMBERS ROLL IN ONCE THEY START
TO ROLL IN.
NOW, EARLIER TODAY WE CAUGHT UP
WITH MAZI PILIP IN MASSAPEQUA
PARK.
SHE OF COURSE WAS ALONE WHEN
SHE STARTED THIS RACE, BUT SHE
HAS DESCRIBED HER BIOGRAPHY,
BORN IN ETHIOPIA, SHE WAS A
SOLDIER FOR THE ISRAELI DEFENSE
FUND.
SHE HAS BEEN VERY STRONG ON THE
MILITARY AND MAKING LAW
ENFORCEMENT A KEY TO HER
SUCCESS HERE AND HER VISIT TO
MASSAPEQUA PARK, TO BOOST
TURNOUT.
>> I AM ENCOURAGING EVERYONE TO
GO OUT TO VOTE.
THIS IS THE DAY THAT WE HAVE
BEEN WORKING VERY HARD THE LAST
EIGHT WEEKS.
THIS IS THE DATE WE CANNOT GO
OUT TO SECURE THE BORDERS, TO
SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT, TO
IMPROVE OUR CURRENT ARMY --
ECONOMIC STANDING.
TOM SUOZZI CREATED THIS MESS.
WE CANNOT AFFORD SENDING HIM TO
THE SEAT.
>> Reporter: NOW DEMOCRATS AND
REPUBLICANS DO NOT AGREE ON
MUCH IN NASSAU COUNTY BUT THEY
DO AGREE THAT THE WEATHER WAS
BAD THIS MORNING.
WE CAUGHT UP WITH VOTERS ABOUT
WHAT MOTIVATED THEM TO SPITE --
DESPITE THE WEATHER TO GET OUT
TO THE POLLS.
>> THE CORRUPTION THAT WE HAD
WITH THE LAST CANDIDATE I THINK
IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR ME.
I THINK WE WANT HONESTY IN
THERE.
>> WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT THIS COUNTRY AND THE
STATE WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW IS
REALLY JUST NOT A GOOD STATE.
>> Reporter: BACK HERE LIVE AT
MAZI PILIP HEADQUARTERS . THE
DYNAMIC AS WE ANTICIPATE THEM
UNFOLDING OVER THE LACK -- NEXT
HOUR WE START TO SEE THE
NUMBERS OF THE EARLY VOTE
REPORTED FIRST AND THOSE ARE
EXPECTED TO FAVOR TOM SUOZZI
BECAUSE TRADITIONALLY AND BY
REGISTRATION WE KNOW THAT THE
EARLY VOTERS IN THE SELECTION
LEAN TOWARDS DEMOCRATS IN TERMS
OF NUMBERS. THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS
THE SAME DAY BOAT GETS TALLIED
AND NASSAU COUNTY STILL DOES
THINGS THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY.
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TWO THUMB
DRIVES OVER TO COUNTY PARTY
HEADQUARTERS IN MINEOLA TO
TABULATE THE RESULTS.
THESE WILL NOT BE LIGHTNING
QUICK NUMBERS THAT YIELD AN
IMMEDIATE RESULT.
AS A RESULT OF THAT WE MAY SEE
SORT OF A SKEWED THING TONIGHT.
YOU WILL SEE TOM SUOZZI PERHAPS
IN THE LEAD AFTER THE EARLY
VOTE COMES IN , THEN A LOT OF
SUSPENSE ABOUT HOW TODAY’S BOAT
TURNED OUT.
A LOT OF FOLKS HERE EXPECTING A
LATE-NIGHT AND PERHAPS THE
POSSIBILITY THAT WE LEARN THE
RESULT SOMETIME TOMORROW.
LATEST REPORTING LIVE IN EAST
MEADOW, I’M ANDREW SIFF SENDING
IT BACK TO YOU GUYS.
>> ANDREW, THANK YOU AND ABOUT
SEVEN MINUTES AFTER THE HOUR
AND WE ARE WAITING ON THE
RESULTS TO COME IN AND THE
RESULTS FROM THE SPECIAL
ELECTION COULD HAVE
IMPLICATIONS TOUCHING BR -- FAR
BEYOND LONG ISLAND.
MELISSA JOINS US TO TALK ABOUT
IT.
>> Reporter: NATALIE, EVERYONE
ASKED THROW THIS SHORT PRESSURE
ELECTION CYCLE THIS RACE PROVED
TO BE A BELLWETHER FOR THE
RACES IN NOVEMBER?
WELL, THE WEATHER COULD IMPACT
THAT.
NOT JUST TURNOUT BUT HOW
CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE
DISTRICT VOTE COMPARED WITH HOW
THEY WOULD NORMALLY VOTE.
IN SOME WAYS THIS DISTRICT BATTL
RIGHT?
IT IS DIVERSE.
THERE IS QUEENS, WEALTHIER
SECTIONS OF NASSAU, YOU HAVE
BOTH ENDS OF THE INCOME SCALE.
YOU HAVE VOTERS WHO ARE MIDDLE
OF THE GROUND THAT MIGHT SWING.
IT IS SORT OF A TYPICAL
BATTLEGROUND, BUT AT THE SAME
TIME THERE ARE SOME WAYS IN
WHICH THIS DISTRICT IS UNIQUE,
RIGHT?
IT IS A VERY HEAVILY JEWISH
DISTRICT. THE MOST JEWISH
DISTRICT IN THE NATION AT A
TIME WHEN ISRAEL IS FRONT AND
CENTER IN THE NEWS.
THERE IS NO COINCIDENCE THERE
THAT REPUBLICANS CHOSE MAZI
PILIP AS THEIR CANDIDATE.
SHE WAS AN IDF SOLDIER AND
WEARS THE STAR OF DAVID AROUND
HER NECK.
ALL OF THE ABOVE.
WHETHER THOSE SAME ISSUES WILL
BE PLAYING OUT IN OTHER RACES
TO THE SAME EXTENT, MAYBE NOT.
MAYBE THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT
PLAYS MORE INTENSELY IN NEW
YORK AS OPPOSED TO THE
IMMIGRATION ISSUE WHICH DAVID,
YOU AND I HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT
THIS BEFORE, WHEN I WENT TO
IOWA TO COVER THE CAUCUSES THE
VOTERS, REPUBLICANS IN IOWA
WERE JUST AS CONCERNED ABOUT
WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH
MIGRANTS ON THE GROUND HERE IN
NEW YORK AS THEY WERE WITH
ISSUES IN THEIR HOME STATE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME
WAYS IN WHICH THEY ARE NOT A
CLEAR BELLWETHER.
SOME WAYS IN WHICH THEY ARE
NOT.
>> RECENT POLLS SHOWING
MIGRATION WAS TOP OF MIND ON
VOTERS.
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE
NATIONALIZE ON THIS RACE.
$22 MILLION SPENT ON IT.
YET NEITHER CANDIDATE ASKED --
WHY DO THEY LOOK AT THIS SUPPER AS A CHECK FOR WHAT HAPPENED
DOWN THE ROAD.
>> THE COST TO TAXPAYERS HERE
IN NEW YORK BECAUSE OF THE
BORDER CRISIS AND THAT HAS
LANDED AND WE SAW THAT PLAY OUT
AS YOU JUST REFERRED TO, TOM
SUOZZI BEING ASKED AT ONE POINT
DURING HIS CAMPAIGN IF BIDEN
WOULD BE CAMPAIGNING AND THE
ANSWER WAS NO, WE DON’T REALLY
NEED BIDEN TO COME.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW WE HAVE THIS.
TO ME THAT WAS A SIGNAL THAT
BIDEN’S BORDER POLICIES ARE A
PROBLEM FOR DEMOCRATS.
ANOTHER WAY THIS COULD PLAY OUT
IS IT IS A SIGNAL TO NATIONAL DEMOCRATS THAT BIDEN CANNOT
OFFICER -- NECESSARILY COUNT ON
CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES AND
MAYBE THE FLIPSIDE IS TRUE FOR
MAZI PILIP AND REPUBLICANS
BECAUSE SHE HEDGED FOR QUITE A
WHILE THROUGHOUT THIS RACE ON
WHETHER SHE WOULD SUPPORT TRUCK AND AT THE END OF THE DAY SHE
SAID YES SHE WOULD. RECEIVING WORD THAT THERE WAS A
SUPER PACK.
>> CERTAIN STREETS.
PUBLICAN VOTERS TEND TO BE DAY
OF VOTERS.
SOME OF THE THINKING THERE
ANYWAY.
>> MEL -- WELL MELISSA, TOM
SUOZZI CLAIMS HE IS A DEALMAKER
WHO CAN WORK WITH GOP.
DO YOU THINK THE VOTERS ARE
BUYING THAT?
>> Reporter: LET’S SEE WHAT
HAPPENS.
THE POLLS ARE CLOSED AT THIS
POINT.
BIPARTISAN ISSUES ESPECIALLY
AROUND IMMIGRATION, TOM SUOZZI
PUSHED HE WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK
OUT A DEAL , IT HAS NOT
HAPPENED.
IS IT GOING TO HAPPEN?
WE SEE INTENSE PARTISANSHIP
AROUND THE ISSUE OF IMMIGRATION
IN WASHINGTON AT A TIME WHEN
THE NATION COULD NOT BE MORE
DESPERATE.
MORE DESPERATE FOR A SOLUTION.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER
THAT ALL OF THIS FIGHTING AND
THESE REALLY NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN
ADS THAT WE SEE, WE WILL SEE
THEM AGAIN BECAUSE WE ARE ABOUT
TO GO THROUGH REDISTRICTING AND
THERE WILL BE ANOTHER RACE IN
NOVEMBER IF TOM SUOZZI WINS I
WONDER WILL THEY RUN MAZI
PILIP AGAIN.
NOTHING CLEAR AT THE MOMENT.
>> MELISSA, THANK YOU FOR THAT
OVERVIEW. WE WILL WAIT FOR THE RESULTS.
>> Reporter: LET’S SEE WHAT
HAPPENS.
THE POLLS ARE CLOSED AT THIS
POINT.
BIPARTISAN ISSUES ESPECIALLY AROUND IMMIGRATION, TOM SUOZZI
PUSHED HE WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK
OUT A DEAL , IT HAS NOT
HAPPENED.
IS IT GOING TO HAPPEN?
WE SEE INTENSE PARTISANSHIP
AROUND THE ISSUE OF IMMIGRATION
IN WASHINGTON AT A TIME WHEN
THE NATION COULD NOT BE MORE
DESPERATE.
MORE DESPERATE FOR A SOLUTION.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER
THAT ALL OF THIS FIGHTING AND
THESE REALLY NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN
ADS THAT WE SEE, WE WILL SEE
THEM AGAIN BECAUSE WE ARE ABOUT
TO GO THROUGH REDISTRICTING AND
THERE WILL BE ANOTHER RACE IN
NOVEMBER IF TOM SUOZZI WINS I
WONDER WILL THEY RUN MAZI
PILIP AGAIN.