A group of Republican House members from New York began pushing on Oct. 11 to throw out one of their own, Representative George Santos, between mounting federal charges that he defrauded donors and lied about his campaign finances.

The measure to get rid of. Santos, introduced by Representative Robert Garcia, a Democrat of California, was unlikely to succeed in the House, where it would have been required for a  two-thirds majority to pass. Republicans hold a majority so that Santos’ vote remains crucial, reducing the political incentive for them to support his ouster.

Indeed, by delaying the vote, House Republicans,  including some who have called on Santos resigned, avoiding having to commit to a firm position on his behavior. But their actions also may be construed as a tacit support of Santos’ remaining in Congress as he faces ethical and legal inquiries.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy has for months deferred action and defended Santos’ right to his seat, arguing that the House should not punish Santos without a formal report by the Ethics Committee. But a handful of Republicans, many of them first-term representatives from New York, have for months said that Santos was unfit to serve and demanded that he resign.

A vote to expel Santos threatened to put those New York representatives, most of whom flipped swing districts that will be prime targets for Democrats next year, in a politically thorny position. Voting for Santos’ expulsion would have put them at odds with their party, but voting against it might have made them appear hypocritical after months of forcefully denouncing Santos.

First, Santos’ campaign treasurer pleaded guilty, admitting in court that she conspired with the congressman to report false donations and a fictional $500,000 personal loan to the campaign. Late on Oct. 17, authorities added 10 new felony counts against Santos, dramatically expanding the case against him.

LaLota said that the New York lawmakers had no commitments from party leaders to greenlight an expulsion vote. But their resolution seemed opportunistically timed to coincide with ongoing deliberations over who should replace McCarthy. If the New Yorkers feel strongly enough, they could use their leverage in the vote for Speaker to advance the expulsion push.

Santos, a Republican lawmaker, played a significant role in shaping politics and policy in their region. Their actions are closely watched as they impact the direction of the Republican Party and the broader political landscape in Santos.