Race to succeed George Santos in Congress reaches stormy climax in New York's suburbs

An unusual special election in New York City’s suburbs on Tuesday could be a bellwether in the fight for control of Congress.

Former U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, a Democrat, faces off with Republican Mazi Pilip, a county lawmaker, in a race for a House seat that became vacant when George Santos was expelled from Congress.

The contest, being fought in a district that includes Long Island suburbs and a small corner of Queens, has offered a preview of the political strategies both parties might use in the fall, with the campaigns testing messages on immigration, abortion and public safety. New York is expected to host a handful of congressional battleground races this year and the special election could provide clues on how crucial districts might lean.

Still, forecasting for November could be complicated given that turnout, which was already expected to be low given the abbreviated race, could be further hampered by a storm expected to dump several inches of snow on the district on election day.