Voting for one of the most important elections of 2024 starts this week.

Early voting for the special election for New York’s Third Congressional District begins February 3. It is imperative for the future of our nation that New Yorkers on Long Island and in Queens turn out to support Republican Mazi Pilip.

This is not hyperbole or campaign season exaggeration. This race is vitally important to people who want to build a better future for New York — and for people who want to build a better future for our country.

I had the opportunity to meet briefly with the National Republican Congressional Committee staff last week and told them the same thing. I told the entire staff that every single team member should be working to make sure Ms. Pilip wins the race on February 13.

First, New York City has been in a state of decay for years. Left-wing leaders have allowed unions and other special interest groups to hobble city infrastructure, balloon public budgets, and make it virtually impossible for small and mid-sized businesses to survive.

The governor and New York City’s mayor have steadily drained public resources (at New Yorkers’ expense) to pay for fiscally suicidal programs to house and fund illegal immigrants. Further, crime is steadily growing out of control — and New York’s Democratic leaders have done nothing.

Ms. Pilip’s opponent, Congressman Thomas Suozzi, has been part of the problem. He has asked to be an honorary member of the so-called squad, the New York Post reports. He has called for building a taxpayer-funded welcome center and handouts for illegal immigrants — and supported special paths to citizenship for illegal immigrants while supporting an open border. While previously serving three terms in Congress, he voted for President Biden’s disastrous agenda 100 percent of the time.

Ms. Pilip has been abundantly clear that she would work to cut spending that’s driving inflation, lower taxes for middle class families, and tear away red tape and regulations that help special interests and hurt average New Yorkers. As a legal immigrant herself, Ms. Pilip has also pledged to secure the border, re-engage with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to end illegal immigration, and work to simplify and improve the legal immigration process.

Further, she will support law enforcement and help empower officers to return New York to the historically safe place it was in the not-too-distant past. So, it’s clear why this is an important election for New Yorkers. Here’s why it’s important to America.

This is the first House election of the year. It is a seat that we know Republicans can win because we won it before — even with a historically terrible candidate who was outspent seven to one. As I told the NRCC staff, there is tremendous symbolic value in keeping this seat.

If Republicans show the nation that we can win in New York, candidates in other tough-to-win seats will be encouraged and empowered. After spending 16 years fighting to build a Republican majority in Congress — and then four more years as Speaker of the House — I know personally how important momentum and encouragement are in politics. Winning in New York’s Third District would create follow-on success.

Thankfully, Speaker Johnson understands this, too, and has been working hard to make sure Ms. Pilip has all the support House Republicans can muster. Unfortunately, you can be sure the national Democratic machine is working just as hard — with far more resources.

So, between February 3 and February 13, every New Yorker who lives in the Third District and cares about the future of his or her community must go vote for Ms. Pilip — and convince his or her friends and neighbors to do so as well. Every American outside of New York’s Third District who cares about our country, should support Ms. Pilip in any way they can.

This will be one of the most consequential election years in our nation’s history. We will make choices that rebuild our nation and create a better future for all Americans — or continue us on a path of decay. The first choice is this week. Mazi Pilip is the right answer.