As a student living in New York’s 3rd Congressional District, I had a front-row seat to the rise and collapse of George Santos. His recent sentence commutation is a reminder of how much damage he caused — not just to himself, but to the credibility of conservatives in New York.

While seven years in prison for his crimes was excessive and the president was right to commute his sentence, fairness in the justice system does not excuse the fact that Santos humiliated his constituents and tarnished the Republican Party at one of its most pivotal moments in decades.

When Santos won his seat in 2022, it felt like something new was possible in New York politics. That same year, Lee Zeldin captured almost 44% of the vote in the gubernatorial race, a result that shocked Democrats and gave Republicans real momentum. Zeldin’s appearance prompted people in my community to seriously discuss conservative ideas for the first time in years.

When Santos flipped the 3rd District, it felt like proof that progress was spreading beyond statewide races. As someone just beginning to engage with politics, our district had the opportunity to contribute to a broader movement that had been overlooked for too long.

But almost immediately after he took office, the scandals began. The fabrications about his background, his career, and his finances were so outrageous that he became a national headline almost overnight. Instead of representing us with ideas or legislation, he represented us with constant dishonesty.

In school, classmates made jokes about how our congressman lied about nearly everything in his life. Teachers referenced him as an example of political corruption. Every time his name came up, it was another reminder that my district had become a punchline. That experience was humiliating for anyone who had hoped his election would signal real change.

In a state where Republicans already face steep challenges, Santos handed Democrats exactly what they wanted: evidence that conservatives could not be trusted. For years, Republicans have struggled to convince New Yorkers that they are committed to governing effectively. Santos set that effort back by confirming the worst stereotypes. All the momentum Zeldin created — momentum that mattered deeply to young conservatives like me — was overshadowed by the circus of Santos’s lies.

Still, it is important to separate his legal case from his political legacy. Seven years in prison for his offenses was disproportionate, especially compared to sentences for others who committed larger financial crimes. Fairness in the justice system matters, even for unpopular people.

For me, as a young constituent, Santos became a lesson about how quickly trust can collapse. Politics depends on trust — not blind loyalty, but the belief that elected officials will at least tell the truth about who they are. When that trust is destroyed, it is nearly impossible to repair.

Many of my peers already doubt the value of politics, and Santos gave them a perfect example of why they should be cynical. He made it harder for young people like me to argue that honesty and conservative ideas can go together.