# How was George Santos' resume not an election issue? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 27, 2022, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188 "2022-12-27T23:46:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/241 "2023-01-09T18:09:33Z")
Has anyone confirmed that he lives in the district he represents? Does NY require that? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/242 "2023-01-09T18:16:50Z")
No state requires that, because they can’t. The Constitution requires residency in the same state, but not in the same district. And the courts have decided in the past that restrictions tighter than those laid out in the Constitution aren’t permitted. The usual remedy for a Congressmember living in a different district than they represent is that the people of that district just won’t vote for them. But we’re past that point now. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/243 "2023-01-09T20:30:27Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > If they expel him from the House, their razor-thin margin becomes monofilament-thin. Their choices are: > > 1. Show honor, integrity, and courage at the cost of their immediate political position; or > 2. Maintain their immediate political position at the cost of looking like a bunch of unprincipled cowards. > > Hmm. Hmm. Hmm. Which will Kevin McCarthy choose? It’s like any organized crime group. You’re allowed to break the law and steal from outsiders. But the one rule you don’t break is stealing from a higher ranking member of your own mob. Santos would have gotten away with lying and breaking various laws. But he took money people thought they were donating to Kevin McCarthy - which means as far as McCarthy is concerned that was his money. The idea that McCarthy would be willing to overlook this in order to maintain a majority requires you to believe that McCarthy would put what’s best for the Republican party ahead of what’s best for Kevin McCarthy. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/244 "2023-01-09T20:36:23Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The idea that McCarthy would be willing to overlook this in order to maintain a majority requires you to believe that McCarthy would put what’s best for the Republican party ahead of what’s best for Kevin McCarthy. Maintaining a majority is probably what’s best for Kevin McCarthy. Having people fundraise in his name besmirches his name, but his name is already mud. There’s certainly a tradeoff here, but I’m far from convinced that he’ll land on the side of condemning Santos. Not saying he won’t, but it’s not a slam dunk. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/245 "2023-01-09T20:47:57Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Maintaining a majority is probably what’s best for Kevin McCarthy. Having people fundraise in his name besmirches his name, but his name is already mud. > > There’s certainly a tradeoff here, but I’m far from convinced that he’ll land on the side of condemning Santos. Not saying he won’t, but it’s not a slam dunk. I disagree. I don’t feel McCarthy or any other Republican currently in office has any higher principles. They didn’t become Republicans and run for office because they had some goal to achieve. They ran because they saw it as an opportunity to take care of themselves. If McCarthy lets a small fry like Santos steal money from him then what’s the point of being Speaker of the House? Do you think McCarthy has some political agenda that he’s willing to sacrifice his own self-interest for? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/246 "2023-01-09T21:16:27Z")
I think his agenda is that he wants to stay speaker. Losing Republican members imperils that agenda. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/247 "2023-01-09T21:37:43Z")
And it is unlikely a replacement Republican wins the district in a soecial election to replace Santos. You’d have to run whoever is the biggest brightest mainstream-R figure in the general vicinity and even then you would not be sure. But yes in a NORMAL House this would be something that would get him hauled before the Leadership to sign his already written resignation. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/248 "2023-01-09T21:40:20Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I think his agenda is that he wants to stay speaker. Losing Republican members imperils that agenda. I feel that the reason McCarthy wants to be Speaker is because of the benefits that accrue from that position. I don’t feel he would want to be Speaker if it required him to give up anything; he’s looking for a gain not a loss. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/249 "2023-01-09T21:46:38Z")
We’ll see. Like I say, I’m not convinced either way. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/250 "2023-01-09T21:58:30Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > And it is unlikely a replacement Republican wins the district in a soecial election to replace Santos. You’d have to run whoever is the biggest brightest mainstream-R figure in the general vicinity and even then you would not be sure. Plus, New York has weird election laws. I’m not sure of the details but sometimes Congressional seats are left vacant until the next general election. There was a case in 2010 when Congressman Eric Massa resigned. He resigned on March 8. But the governor refused to call a special election to replace him, even after their was a lawsuit to that effect. So the seat remained vacant until the general election in November. This happened again in 2018 when Congresswoman Louise Slaughter died (this is my Congressional district). Slaughter died in March and her seat remained vacant until the general election in November. My understanding is that the law prohibits a special election if the vacancy occurs after July 1 of an election year. But as you can see, this was not the case in the two situations above. So the governor apparently has some discretionary power to choose not to call a special election when vacancies occur earlier. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/251 "2023-01-09T23:03:11Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > So the governor apparently has some discretionary power to choose not to call a special election when vacancies occur earlier. But given that the governor is currently a Dem and a D is likely to be favored in the special election, I’d say there would probably be an election in this case. ---
**Author:** ![lel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8797f3/32.png) [@lel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lel)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/252 "2023-01-09T23:17:35Z")
I’d make the case that he’s actually quite intelligent. He only had to get elected and seated. He’ll forever be known worldwide as an ex-Congressman, and as others noted, that can certainly lead to lucrative future opportunities. Having the gumption to actually pull off being a fraudulent con man elected to Congress just adds to the allure. A few years down the road he might be able to legitimately purchase some Hamptons property. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/253 "2023-01-09T23:28:52Z")
No, he’ll be forever known as the guy who lied his way into a Congressional seat. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/254 "2023-01-09T23:31:26Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > No, he’ll be forever known as the guy who lied his way into a Congressional seat He might even get a movie deal. “Elect Me If You Can”. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/255 "2023-01-09T23:35:08Z")
Just so long as Leonardo DiCaprio doesn’t play him. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2023, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/256 "2023-01-10T01:31:38Z")
> [@lel](#): > > He’ll forever be known worldwide as an ex-Congressman, and as others noted, that can certainly lead to lucrative future opportunities. I don’t know. How many openings are there for failed conservatives? There’s a glut on the market. And most of them can lie better than Santos if admittedly not as profusely. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2023, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/257 "2023-01-10T01:37:28Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > But given that the governor is currently a Dem and a D is likely to be favored in the special election, I’d say there would probably be an election in this case. The numbers are iffy. This is a district, after all, that just elected George Santos two months ago. The Republicans will push hard to find a good candidate to replace him and whoever they find is probably going to look good by comparison. The Democrats might decide that leaving an empty seat is safer and save their fight for 2024. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2023, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/258 "2023-01-10T01:38:22Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > We’ll see. Like I say, I’m not convinced either way. Fair enough. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2023, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/259 "2023-01-10T02:32:45Z")
“One-term Congressman known only for scandal and whose colleagues treat him like he’s radioactive” isn’t a resume that’s going to make him attractive to any potential employer. He won’t be able to lobby, as @Little_Nemo notes there’s an enormous glut of conservative talking heads, maaaaybe he gets a book deal out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2023, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/260 "2023-01-10T02:40:44Z")
The same idiots that believed his pre-election resume will believe his post-election resume. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188.md?page=14)