(NewsNation) — Two candidates vying for the congressional seat of former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., will face off on the debate stage Thursday night.

Early voting has started in the special election, and Election Day is scheduled for Feb. 13.

Former U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi has emerged as the frontrunner nominee for Democrats. Suozzi, 61, represented the district for six years before launching an unsuccessful campaign for governor last year, and previously held political posts as a county executive and mayor on Long Island.

Suozzi had announced his campaign for the seat before Santos was expelled and has been promoting a series of endorsements from local politicians and labor groups after the district became vacant.

He’s expressed concerns that “the Democratic brand is in trouble,” emphasizing that this is a pivotal moment since Democrats have faced challenges in winning his district over the past few years.

House Republicans are also facing significant stakes, as the GOP seeks to protect its slim majority in the House. The outcome on Tuesday could reveal insight into the political landscape and voter sentiments ahead of a pivotal election year.

Suozzi is running against Mazi Pilip, an Ethiopian-born Jewish woman who served in the Israeli military. Pilip, a registered Democrat for over a decade, was elected as a Republican Nassau County legislator in 2021, flipping a Democratic seat. She was re-elected in 2023. In both elections, she ran as a Republican, Politico reported.

According to a poll conducted by Emerson College Polling, the race is extremely close with a margin of 45 to 42 — Suozzi leads by just three points, falling within the margin of error. Polling also indicates 26% of voters prioritize immigration as their top concern, followed by the economy and crime.

NewsNation affiliate WPIX hosted a special forum with both candidates who shared their approaches to immigration.

Suozzi said he’d support a temporary closure of the southern border to help stem the migrant crisis. He added that to solve the border crisis, he supports the emerging plan in the U.S. Senate to reform the asylum process, beef up border security, more quickly adjudicate immigration cases, fund localities dealing with the crisis, and at the same time provide military aid to Israel and Ukraine.

Pilip also supports a temporary closure of the border, which is in line with most other Republican lawmakers. During her interview, she was pressed on what specific ideas she would support to better secure the border. Pilip said she would support more funding for a border wall and defunding organizations that encourage illegal immigration.

Democrats want to flip at least five House seats in New York next year, with the Santos seat being a potential early indicator of their chances in November.

The party has dedicated significant financial and organizational resources to the state, after a series of losses last year in the New York City suburbs helped Republicans take control of the House and brought down heavy criticism on state Democrats.

Santos represented New York’s 3rd congressional district from 2017-2023. He was expelled from the House in December 2023, following a scandal-plagued tenure in Congress and a looming criminal trial. He is only the sixth member in the chamber’s history to be ousted by colleagues.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.