Republican promising ‘honest leadership’ is running in George Santos’s district

A military veteran turned business executive is running for Congress, promising “to restore honesty and integrity” to the congressional district represented by embattled Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.).

Kellen Curry announced his candidacy for the 3rd Congressional District in a short video Monday afternoon. The military veteran turned business executive told The Washington Post that he began looking at running for the seat “around … the same time” that news broke last year about Santos’s falsehoods. Santos is the subject of multiple investigations into his lies and campaign finances.

Curry presents a résumé similar to the one Santos admitted to fabricating, it includes humble beginnings, private sector success and a call to public service. Curry said he grew up in Oklahoma, graduated from the Air Force Academy, completed two tours in Afghanistan and worked in J.P. Morgan’s corporate and investment banking division in New York.

When asked about the inevitable fact-checking he and other candidates in the race will experience because of the revelations about Santos, Curry told The Post he welcomes the scrutiny.

Santos filed paperwork in mid-March that indicates that he might seek reelection, though he has not announced whether he is running again. By filing the paperwork, known as a statement of candidacy, with the Federal Election Commission, Santos can raise money for a prospective campaign. The funds also could be used to pay back the $700,000 he lent to his 2022 campaign and for legal fees connected to the local, state and federal investigations he is facing.

Santos’s résumé has unraveled since his surprise win in the Democratic-leaning district that encompasses the North Shore of Long Island and parts of Queens.

Santos admitted to lying about his education and work history, but questions remain about the source of his wealth, which he used to help fund his campaign. In January, a nonpartisan watchdog group filed a complaint to the FEC about Santos’s campaign financing.

Last month the House Ethics Committee, along with several state and federal investigators, began looking into the freshman lawmaker, who has been dogged by allegations of fraud and financial wrongdoing.

In the clearest sign to date that federal prosecutors are examining Santos’s campaign finances, the Justice Department asked the FEC to hold off on any enforcement action against Santos as prosecutors conduct a parallel criminal probe, according to two people familiar with the request, The Post reported in late January.

Santos, whose campaign did not return an email seeking comment, appears to know of Curry. Santos’s verified campaign account on Twitter, which has more than 60,000 followers, is following Curry’s Twitter account, which, as of Monday afternoon, had only 41.

Amy B Wang contributed to this report.