Tom Suozzi, co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, has repeatedly contradicted his caucus pledge and his voters by campaigning alongside Democrats, backing tax hikes, flipping on policy promises, and endorsing unpopular statewide figures, raising questions about his reliability and priorities.
Tom Suozzi serves as co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a group that states “no one party has a monopoly on good ideas or on good people” and that it is the “responsibility of every Member of Congress to build bridges, put country first, and be part of the governing solution, not to drive wedges or further partisan bickering.” That mission sounds reasonable on paper, but the reality of Suozzi’s actions has left many voters wondering which side he’s really on. His role places added scrutiny on any decisions that appear to favor partisan interests over the caucus rules.
The caucus bylaws clearly forbid members from campaigning against one another, and Suozzi publicly acknowledged the restriction through his spokeswoman, who said, “Congressman Suozzi is precluded from getting involved in campaigns against the Problem Solvers Caucus.” That statement set an expectation: Suozzi should avoid stepping into races involving fellow caucus members. Yet recent behavior suggests he hasn’t followed that standard, weakening trust with colleagues and constituents alike.
Despite the pledge, Suozzi showed up at a campaign event with Democrat Chris Gallant, who is running against Republican and fellow Problem Solver Nick LaLota, prompting critics to ask why he would attend. The optics are bad for a caucus built around nonpartisan cooperation when a co-chair appears to pick sides in a direct contest with a caucus colleague. This appearance has fueled talk that his commitment to the caucus is more talk than practice.
This episode is not an isolated misstep. In March 2025 Suozzi voted to allow men to compete in women’s sports even though he had previously said he opposed that outcome, and his voting record includes several reversals on hot-button issues. Nassau County, his political base, was among the first to pass rules barring biological men who identify as transgender women from competing in female sports in county facilities. After his vote, NRCC spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole slammed the decision as a flip-flop, calling Suozzi “spineless” and saying he “lied to voters, blatantly flip-flopped his position, and abandoned his district.”
On taxes, Suozzi has repeatedly sided with higher levies and policies that many local voters reject, even offering “support and assistance” to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani while echoing calls to raise taxes. That mayor reportedly carries a -26 percent favorability rating in suburban polling, making Suozzi’s alignment with him politically risky at best and tone-deaf at worst. Voters on Long Island have been particularly sensitive to tax fights, and Suozzi’s posture has only made those concerns worse.
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Suozzi also endorsed Gov. Kathy Hochul, a figure critics say has “raised taxes,” embraced socialism, and undermined law and order, according to his opponents. That endorsement ties him to statewide policies many Nassau residents oppose, including recent legal fights in which local sheriffs sued the governor over a law restricting cooperation with ICE. Aligning so publicly with such a controversial governor has done little to reassure conservatives or moderates wary of tax hikes and public safety shifts.
Suozzi even promoted an ad claiming credit for expanding the SALT deduction, a claim that did not align with his votes. He allowed a Super PAC-produced spot to boast an increase from $10,000 to $40,000 for households making under $500,000, while he had twice opposed the federal spending bill containing the SALT expansion. That disconnect between the ad’s claims and his roll-call record added fuel to accusations that he misled voters about his stance and his voting history.
The hubbub started from a pro-Suozzi Super PAC ad that shows a Huntington man identifying himself as “Bob the Baker” bid praising Suozzi for expanding SALT on federal income tax returns from $10,000 to $40,000 for households making under $500,000.
“As a small business guy, I always look at the fine print, and let me tell you, Tom Suozzi’s plan is the real deal,” the baker says in the clip, which was paid for by the Effective Governing Coalition, which supports moderate Democrats.
“When Washington politicians raised our taxes by taking away our fair share of the state and local tax deduction, Suozzi said, ‘No way,’” the man adds in the 30-second ad.
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The National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee said it won’t let the fib go unchallenged after Suozzi rejected the federal spending bill, HR 1, that included expanding SALT.
Tax policy is a recurring theme in Suozzi’s record, and critics point out he has voted to raise taxes multiple times, including opposing the $1.5 trillion Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. When he first became Nassau County Executive in 2001, he backed a 15 percent property tax increase, the largest in the county’s history, which opponents still cite. That pattern makes it harder for voters to trust claims that he stands with taxpayers against higher levies.
Defenders may call his choices pragmatic, but many constituents and fellow Problem Solvers see a pattern of broken promises and partisan maneuvers. “From back-stabbing fellow Problem Solvers to fighting to raise taxes and rubber-stamping Kathy Hochul and Zohran Mamdani’s disastrous agenda, Suozzi has proven he’s a liar and a partisan hack,” said NRCC spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole. For voters who expected principled cooperation from a caucus co-chair, Suozzi’s record reads like a long list of contradictions.
