George Santos opens up about fame, reelection, and making politics less "boring"
New York, New York - Representative George Santos opened up in an extensive interview about his new fame, how he plans to get reelected, and his intentions on making politics less "boring."
Santos sat down with CBS New York's political reporter Marcia Kramer on Sunday, and the two talked all about how he planned to use his bizarre fame to help his run for reelection.
The controversial politician says he's "starting to understand" how to use his "loud voice" to "take lemons and turn them into margaritas."
"Not lemonade, it's boring," he added with a chuckle.
When asked about the worst moments during his short tenure in office, Santos recounted a voicemail he received from an anonymous caller.
"'I'm gonna come take you and your husband,' in an F-word, derogatory term, 'I'm gonna bash his brains out, make you watch it, with a baseball bat. Then I'm gonna take it to yours, and I'm gonna blow up your office,'" Santos claimed the unknown caller said in the message.
Santos was elected to his House position to represent New York's third congressional district in 2022, but was met with scrutiny when it was discovered he had fabricated most of his resume that helped him get the job.
Kramer asked if he used the scandal to help him create "a larger than life personality" in Congress, but Santos said no, describing it as a "stupid, stupid, stupid decision."
"Now, there is a benefit to it, there's always an upside to everything," he added. "So now we just need to explore it for the greater good."
George Santos aims to capture younger generations
George Santos went on to share that his new fame has brought the caveat that he "can't go out into the street without being recognized," as meeting people brings a "mixed bag" of positive and negative interactions.
Despite "not liking" the attention, he says he goes about his daily life, and stays committed to his political ambitions as he seeks reelection.
The two go on to discuss his first bill, called the SALT bill, and his unwavering support for former President Donald Trump.
Santos also spilled more details about a bill he recently proposed that is named after rapper Nicki Minaj.
"Here's how politics works. Politics is boring," Santos said, arguing that his "pop culture-meets-politics" tactic is his attempt to "harness the energy of a younger generation, which necessarily doesn't enjoy politics."
"I'm trying to bring more engagement into public policy. Isn't that a good thing, though?" Santos asked. " "You make it entertaining, Marcia, so people can bear to watch C-SPAN because it is boring ... I cannot bear to watch C-SPAN."
Santos went on to say that he is "using the advantage" that his notoriety gives him moving forward.
Cover photo: IMAGO / ZUMA Press