New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that a special election to fill the vacant U.S. House seat once held by ousted Long Island Republican Rep. George Santos will be held in February.

The Democratic governor officially launched a special election on Tuesday, setting the vote for Feb. 13. The race in a swing district could have a major impact on the balance of power on Capitol Hill, House Republicans hoping to preserve their diminished, razor-thin majority, and Democrats eyeing a clear pickup opportunity.

Voters in New York’s 3rd Congressional District will not have a say on who the Republican and Democratic nominees will be, however. That choice will be made by the respective party leaders in the counties where Mr. Santos’ former district is located, according to New York election law.

There are well over a dozen candidates vying to replace Mr. Santos in 2024. The district is considered a toss-up seat, and was previously held by Democrat Tom Suozzi until he opted to run for governor against Mrs. Hochul. Mr. Suozzi has tossed his hat in the ring for his old seat, and is expected to be the Democratic nominee. 

Meanwhile, Nassau County Republican Committee Chairman Joseph G.Cairo, Jr. said that his organization and the Queens County Republicans were conducting interviews for a GOP nominee, and expect to announce their candidate in the Third District “in the very near future.”

The call for a special election follows Mr. Santos’ historic expulsion from Congress last week, making him just the sixth sitting lawmaker to be booted in the history of the House of Representatives.

The embattled former lawmaker had previously been under intense pressure to resign following the revelation that much of his campaign biography had been fabricated, and after being hit with 23 federal charges that includes accusations of wire fraud and money laundering. Mr. Santos pleaded not guilty to all charges and has not been convicted.

A searing ethics report from the House Ethics Committee proved to be the death knell for Mr. Santos’ short tenure, despite some lawmakers and the entirety of Republican leadership raising concerns over the precedent that could be set by expelling a lawmaker who has not been formally convicted of a crime.