Former U.S. Representative George Santos announced he plans to leave New York City following the election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor.
In a video posted to social media, Santos said he’s leaving after 37 years in the city, expressing fear over what he termed “the evil I don’t want to know” under the incoming administration. He claimed the race was effectively lost for Republicans because independent Andrew Cuomo and GOP candidate Curtis Sliwa split voters, helping Mamdani secure the win with over 50 percent of the vote.
Santos, pardoned by former President Donald Trump after pleading guilty to fraud and identity-theft charges, called Mamdani’s victory a personal tipping point and said his family’s future safety drives his decision to relocate. The announcement caps one of the most closely watched mayoral races in recent New York history.
Experts say Santos’s departure underscores the broader unease among some residents about the city’s political direction. As the transition under Mayor-elect Mamdani begins, attention now turns to how his administration will shape New York’s future—and how many others may follow Santos out of the city.