Race between Suozzi and Pilip for NY-3 heating up

GREAT NECK, N.Y. (PIX11) -- The special election to replace disgraced former Congressman George Santos has heated up in the last two days.

On Thursday, there were dueling press conferences between the two candidates talking about the migrant crisis. On Friday, supporters of both candidates went at it during a campaign stop at the Great Neck LIRR station.

It unfolded at a press conference put on by Republican Mazi Pilip. Supporters of Democrat Tom Suozzi showed up to speak out against her and demand she be more transparent.

Pilip called the press conference to accuse Suozzi of having an upcoming fundraiser co-hosted by "a vile antisemite."

Pilip pointed to a single video from a group called Let the Quran Speak, shared by Ahnaf Alam. Alam was listed by name on a Feb. 3 Suozzi fundraising poster.

The Let The Quran Speak post features an anti-Zionist rabbi and activist who makes a case for why Israel should not exist.

The post did not discuss the Hamas attack on Israel last October. PIX11 News reached out to Alam for comment.

"I am calling on Tom Suozzi to condemn this antisemitic member of his campaign team, and boycott the fundraiser," Pilip said.

Suozzi said he would look into the post, and condemns all antisemitism. He pointed to his long history of supporting and funding Israel, having been endorsed by a number of Jewish groups and having visited Israel last year.

Suozzi called Pilip's attack "baseless" and meant to "distract" from her only holding a limited number of campaign events, which seemed to be the main concern of several Suozzi supporters who showed up on Friday.

Suozzi's full statement said:

“I condemn all anti-Semitism. I am unequivocally pro-Israel. My voting record reflects both. 

The Jewish World endorsed my candidacy, saying,

'Suozzi’s support for Israel has been admirably strong and consistent, evidence of a deep personal commitment to the Jewish State... it is extremely important to bolster the pro-Israel, centrist majority among House Democrats. Having Tom Suozzi on Israel’s side in the halls of Congress will help offset the increasing influence of extreme left-wing progressives who are hostile to Israel and its interests. At the same time, we know that he will support all efforts to fight the growing antisemitism in this country.'

I am not aware of the comments referenced by my opponent, but if I find them to be anti-Semitic, I will condemn them as I have throughout my public life. 

My opponent’s attempts to distract from her basement campaign in which she has refused to present herself to the press or the public is cheap and denigrates our common cause to combat anti-Semitism and support Israel.”

PIX11 News will host a special one-hour forum featuring Suozzi and Pilip on Tuesday, Jan. 30, from 7 to 8 p.m. You can tune in to PIX11 News or stream the forum on PIX11.com and PIX11+, which is available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Samsung.