Elise Stefanik | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2017 | |
| Chair of the House Republican Conference | |
| In office May 14, 2021 – January 3, 2025 | |
| Leader | |
| Preceded by | Liz Cheney |
| Succeeded by | Lisa McClain |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's21st district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Bill Owens |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Elise Marie Stefanik (1984-07-02)July 2, 1984 (age 41) Albany, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Harvard University (BA) Naval War College |
| Signature |  |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Elise Stefanik on researching the impact of thehemlock woolly adelgid species on trees. Recorded May 18, 2018 | |
Elise Marie Stefanik (/stəˈfɑːnɪk/stə-FAH-nik; born July 2, 1984) is an American politician serving as theU.S. representative forNew York's 21st congressional district since 2015. As chair of theHouse Republican Conference from 2021 to 2025, she was the fourth-ranking House Republican. Stefanik's district covers most of theNorth Country and theAdirondack Mountains as well as some of the outer suburbs ofUtica. In addition to being the first woman to occupy her House seat, Stefanik was 30 years of age when first elected to the Housein 2014; at the time, she was the youngest woman in history to be elected to Congress.
Stefanik was elected as amoderate Republican. However, she has since moved considerably towards the right, as she aligned herself withDonald Trump duringhis first term as president. She strongly opposed thefirst impeachment of Trump in 2019 amid theTrump–Ukraine scandal and backed hisattempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election, objecting toPennsylvania's electoral votes after Trump supporters were involved in the2021 United States Capitol attack. Stefanik was elected chair of theHouse Republican Conference in May 2021 after incumbentLiz Cheney was removed due to her opposition to then-former president Trump.
Known for herpro-Israel beliefs, Stefanik gained national attention in December 2023 for her intense questioning of university presidents during a widely-televisedU.S. congressional hearing on antisemitism. Stefanik's questioning contributed to the resignation ofLiz Magill, the president of theUniversity of Pennsylvania. Stefanik was awarded the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson Defender of Israel Award by theZionist Organization of America. She has supported the view that Israel has a "biblical right" to theoccupiedWest Bank.[1]
On January 20, 2025, President Trump nominated Stefanik to serve as theUnited States ambassador to the United Nations.[2][3] However, on March 27, 2025, Stefanik's nomination was withdrawn amidst concerns about how her departure from the House would affect the thin House Republican majority.[4][5]
Stefanik is currently a candidate in the2026 New York gubernatorial election, having announced her candidacy in November 2025.[6]
Stefanik was born inAlbany, New York, on July 2, 1984,[7] to Melanie and Kenneth Stefanik.[8] Stefanik states that her father is ethnicallyCzech and her mother is ofItalian ancestry;[9] genealogical records show that her father'sPolish[10][11] family came fromwestern Galicia (at the time part of theKingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria),[12][13][14] mainly from thethenshtetl[15] ofFrysztak (Yiddish:Fristik;German:Freistadt)[16] located nearJasło andStrzyżów.[17][18] Her parents own awholesaleplywood distributor based inGuilderland Center, New York.[19]
In October 1998, when she was 14, Stefanik was featured in aTimes Union profile about U.S. senatorAl D'Amato. In the article she is quoted saying, "I support theRepublican view, especially his".[20] Stefanik worked in Washington for six years before entering politics. According to Stefanik, she first considered a career in public service and policy in the aftermath of theSeptember 11 attacks.[21]
After graduating from theAlbany Academy for Girls in 2002, Stefanik attendedHarvard University, where she graduated with aBachelor of Arts degree with honors in government in 2006.[22] As an undergraduate atHarvard College, she was elected vice president of theHarvard Institute of Politics in 2004.[23] She also received an honorable mention for the Women's Leadership Award, an endowed student award for leadership and contributing toward the advancement of women.[24] According to Rep.Henry Cuellar, as of August 2023, Stefanik,Jake LaTurner and he are enrolled in the master's in defense and strategic studies program at theNaval War College.[25]
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After graduating from Harvard, Stefanik joined theGeorge W. Bush administration[26] as a staff member for theU.S. Domestic Policy Council.[27] Stefanik later worked in the office ofJoshua Bolten, theWhite House chief of staff.[27] In 2009, she founded the blog "American Maggie", a platform to promote the views of "conservative andRepublican women". The blog was named after British prime ministerMargaret Thatcher.[23]
Stefanik helped prepare the Republican platform for the2012 United States presidential election, served as director of new media forTim Pawlenty's presidential exploratory committee, and worked at theFoundation for Defense of Democracies and atForeign Policy Initiative.[28] She managed Rep.Paul Ryan's preparation for the2012 vice presidential debate.[26][29] After theMitt Romney-Paul Ryan ticket was defeated in the 2012 presidential election, she returned toupstate New York and joined her parents' business.[29]
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In August 2013, Stefanik declared her candidacy in the2014 election for theU.S. House of Representatives inNew York's 21st congressional district.[30] The district had been in Republican hands for 100 years, before DemocratBill Owens was elected to represent it in a2009 special election.[31] In January 2014, Owens announced that he would not seek reelection.[32]Doug Hoffman, theConservative Party's congressional nominee in 2009, endorsed Stefanik.[21]
Stefanik defeated Matt Doheny in the 2014 Republican primary election, 60.8% to 39.2%. She faced Aaron Woolf, theDemocratic Party nominee, and Matt Funiciello, theGreen Party nominee, in the November 4 general election. Stefanik won with 55.1% of the vote to their 33.8% and 11%, respectively.[33] At the time, the 30-year-old Stefanik was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.[29]
Stefanik ran for reelection in2016. She became increasingly supportive ofDonald Trump's candidacy for president after he won the2016 Republican Party presidential primary.[34][35] Stefanik said that Trump's crude remarks in theAccess Hollywood tape were "wrong", but continued to endorse him.[36]
Stefanik faced Democratic nominee Mike Derrick and Green Party nominee Matt Funiciello in the general election.[37][38] She won with 65.3% of the vote to Derrick's 30.1% and Funiciello's 4.6%.[39]
In 2017, formerambassador to the United NationsJohn Bolton endorsed Stefanik for reelection, lauding her work on theHouse Armed Services Committee.[40] Stefanik was reelected with 56.1% of the vote to Democratic nominee Tedra Cobb's 42.4% and Green Party nominee Lynn Kahn's 1.5%.[41]
Stefanik defeated Democratic nominee Tedra Cobb with 58.8% of the vote to Cobb's 41.2%.[42]
Stefanik defeated Democratic nominee Matt Castelli, a former CIA officer, with 59.1% of the vote to Castelli's 40.8%.[43]
Stefanik defeated Democratic nominee Paula Collins with 62.1% of the vote to Collin's 37.9%.[44][45]
Thefreshman representatives of the 114th United States Congress elected Stefanik to serve as the freshman representative to the policy committee.[46] In February 2015, she was appointed vice chair of theUnited States House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness.[47]
On January 11, 2017, Stefanik announced that she had been elected co-chair of theTuesday Group,[48] "a caucus of ... moderate House Republicans from across the country".[49]
Stefanik led recruitment for theNational Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) in the2018 House elections; among 13 Republican women elected to the House, only one was newly elected.[50] In December 2018, Stefanik announced she would leave the NRCC to create a "leadership PAC" dedicated to recruiting Republican women to run for office.[51][52][53] This group, named Elevate PAC (E-PAC), announced in an October 22 press conference that it had partially funded the primary campaigns of 11 Republican women from various states.[54] In the2020 House elections, 18 of the 30 women endorsed by Stefanik's E-PAC were elected.[55]
In 2020,Fortune magazine included Stefanik in its "40 Under 40" listing in the "Government and Politics" category.[56]
On May 19, 2021, Stefanik and all other House Republican leaders voted against establishing aJanuary 6 commission to investigate theJanuary 6 United States Capitol attack. Thirty-five Republican House members and all 217 Democrats present voted to establish such a commission.[57]
For the119th Congress:[58]
In early 2021, afterHouse Republican Conference chairLiz Cheney supportedDonald Trump's second impeachment and refuted his claims that the election was stolen from him, some Republicans in Congress who supported Trump called for her removal.[59] Stefanik was seen as a potential replacement for Cheney if the Republican conference decided to oust Cheney from her position, despite Cheney's more conservative credentials and greater voting record in support of Trump's policies.[60][61][62] On May 5, Stefanik received the endorsement of Trump andHouse minority whipSteve Scalise to replace Cheney as conference chair.[63] During a May 6 appearance on a podcast hosted bySteve Bannon, Stefanik repeatedly emphasized the need for the Republican Party to work with Trump.[64] RepresentativeChip Roy challenged Stefanik from the right in a bid to replace Cheney, but was denounced by Trump, who reiterated his endorsement of Stefanik.[65][66] On May 14, Stefanik was elected House Republican Conference chair.[67] After her victory, Stefanik thanked Trump, saying, "President Trump is the leader that [Republican voters] look to".[68]
A couple of weeks after being elected House Republican Conference chair,Politico reported that Stefanik had been responsible for planting negative stories aboutJim Banks, a potential competitor for the job, and his aide Buckley Carlson,Tucker Carlson's son. This was met with displeasure by allies ofDonald Trump Jr., who made it known to Stefanik that her attacks on Carlson's son had crossed a line.[69]
After the 2022 elections, Stefanik was reelected as conference chair, defeatingByron Donalds.[70]
During a 2023 hearing on antisemitism of theHouse Education and Workforce Committee, Stefanik asked the presidents of Harvard,MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania, who had been invited to speak, whether "calling for thegenocide of Jewish people" constituted bullying or harassment on their campuses. Stefanik characterized the slogan "From the River to the Sea" and calls for anintifada as genocidal.[71] Their responses, in which they did not say whether use of such slogans violated campus codes of conduct, drew criticism from a group of representatives who signed an open letter calling for all three to resign.[72][73] UPenn presidentLiz Magill, who was already facing pressure from within the university, resigned the following week.[74] Following the announcement of Magill's resignation, Stefaniktweeted "One down. Two to go."[75][76] During the hearing, when the MIT president denied hearing any calls for genocide, Stefanik claimed that chants of "intifada" - an Arabic word for a rebellion or uprising, or a resistance movement - are often considered as a "call for the genocide" of the Jewish people.[77]
Following the congressional hearing, the House committee said it would launch an investigation into the learning environments and disciplinary policies at Harvard, Penn, and MIT over alleged antisemitism on their campuses.[78][79] Stefanik further criticized Harvard's response to antisemitism by denouncing the appointment ofDerek Penslar to the university's Antisemitism Task Force. Stefanik said that Penslar, a Jewish Studies professor who is a Jewish critic of Israel, was "known for his despicable antisemitic views."[80][81] The hearing was portrayed in thecold open of the December 9 episode ofSaturday Night Live, withChloe Troast playing Stefanik.[82][a] The skit was criticized by conservatives and Jewish groups like theADL for treating anti-Semitism as humorous.[85][86]
Stefanik was awarded the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson Defender of Israel Award by theZionist Organization of America.[87]
In November 2024,CNN reported that President-elect Trump had offered Stefanik the position ofUnited States ambassador to the United Nations.[93] On November 10, Stefanik told theNew York Post that she had been offered the position and had agreed to accept it.[94][95] On November 11, Trump stated that he would nominate Stefanik to the U.N. ambassadorship.[96]
Stefanik appeared before theSenate Committee on Foreign Relations on January 21, 2025. During the hearing, she vowed to fight antisemitism, supportIsrael andTaiwan, counter Chinese influence, and use American contributions as leverage to drive reforms when necessary.[97][98] Stefanik's approach toChina centered on addressing its growing influence within U.N. agencies by strengthening alliances with traditional American partners, forging coalitions with smaller nations, and advocating for leadership and staffing roles in key agencies to counter China and its allies.[99] She received bipartisan support for her plans to bolster U.S. leadership in the United Nations.[100]
Stefanik criticized the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and called for stricter scrutiny of its funding, accusing the organization of being infiltrated byHamas. Stefanik praised theWorld Food Program andUNICEF for being successful and effective agencies that have a positive global impact.[99][101]
The committee advanced Stefanik's nomination in a 19–3 vote on January 30, 2025.[102] Although observers believed that Stefanik was likely to secure Senate confirmation without difficulty, Senate Republicans delayed the confirmation process due to concerns about the narrow Republican majority in the House of Representatives.[103] Prior to her withdrawal, Stefanik was expected to be confirmed after April 1, when two vacant House seats were expected to be won by Republican candidates in special elections on that date.[104]
On March 27, 2025, President Trump put out a statement onTruth Social stating that he had withdrawn Stefanik's nomination due to the slim Republican majority margin in the House of Representatives.[4] Trump stated that he personally asked Stefanik to remain in Congress, calling her "one of his biggest allies" and emphasizing the importance of holding onto every GOP seat.[105] He also hinted that she could be considered for another position in his administration at a later date.[106]
Stefanik was ranked by the Bipartisan Index as the 19th-most bipartisan House member during the first session of the115th United States Congress in 2019. During the117th United States Congress, she was ranked as the 100th-most bipartisan member.[107][108][109]
Stefanik was initially elected as amoderate conservative. During her House tenure, she has moved considerably towards the right. She aligned herself with PresidentDonald Trump duringhis first term in office.[110]
Stefanik opposesabortion, but says the Republican Party should be more understanding of other positions on the issue.[111][112] She opposes taxpayer funding for abortion, and supports requiring thathealth insurance plans disclose whether they cover it.[113] She joined her party in supporting H.R. 36, thePain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act of 2017.[114] She also supports legislation that would ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for rape, incest, or to protect the pregnant woman's life.[115][116]
Stefanik opposes federalCOVID-19 vaccine mandates for private employers. Along with approximately 170 other members of Congress, she signed anamicus brief to the Supreme Court arguing that Congress did not give the government authority to impose a vaccine mandate.[117] On July 29, 2021, she tweeted: "FIRE FAUCI!"[118]
Stefanik voted in favor of theKeystone Pipeline.[119] She opposed the2013 sequestration cuts to the federal U.S. military budget, citing its effect onFort Drum just north ofWatertown, New York, part of her district.[119]
Stefanik voted against theTax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, joining five other New York Republican representatives.[120] Her primary reason for voting against the law was its changes to thestate and local tax deduction "that so many in our district and across New York rely on".[121] Stefanik also criticized "Albany's failed leadership and inability to rein in spending". She said, "New York is one of the highest taxed states in the country, and families here rely on this important deduction to make ends meet. Failure to maintain SALT (State and local tax deduction) could lead to more families leaving our region."[122][123]
In March 2021, all House Republicans, including Stefanik, voted against theAmerican Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillionCOVID-19 relief bill.[124]
An analysis byFiveThirtyEight in early 2017 found Stefanik supporting Trump's position in 77.7% of House votes from the115th to the117th Congress.[125] Stefanik has been described as a Trump loyalist.[126][127]
In May 2021, Stefanik called Trump the "strongest supporter of any president when it comes to standing up for the Constitution".[128]
On September 25, 2019, Stefanik announced that she did not support theimpeachment of President Trump.[129] During the November 2019 hearings, in which Congress gathered evidence and heard witness testimony in relation to the impeachment inquiry, Stefanik emerged as a key defender of Trump.[130][131][132] During a November 15 hearing, intelligence committee ranking memberDevin Nunes attempted to yield part of his allotted witness questioning time to Stefanik, but was ruled out of order by committee chairmanAdam Schiff.[133] Stefanik accused Schiff of "making up the rules as he goes" and of preventing Republican committee members from controlling their time to question witnesses.[133] Nunes and Stefanik were violating the procedural rules that were established by an October House vote, and Schiff cited the rule to them.[130][132][134] The rule Schiff cited authorized only Schiff and Nunes, or their counsels, to ask questions during the first 45 minutes of each party's questions for witnesses.[133] The incident created a controversy in which Stefanik and others, including Trump, accused Schiff of "gagging" her.[135]The Washington Post and other sources characterized the incident as a "stunt" to portray Schiff as unfair.[136][137][138][139][140]
AfterJoe Biden won the2020 presidential election and Trump refused to concede while making false claims of fraud, Stefanik aided Trump in his efforts to overturn the election results.[141] She also madefalse claims of fraud, saying among other things that "more than 140,000 votes came from underage, deceased, and otherwise unauthorized voters" inFulton County, Georgia.[141] She also expressed "concerns" aboutDominion Voting Systems, the subject of numerous false right-wing conspiracy theories.[142] In December 2020, Stefanik supported the lawsuitTexas v. Pennsylvania, anattempt to reverse Trump's loss[143] by petitioning theU.S. Supreme Court to reject certified results inMichigan,Pennsylvania,Wisconsin andGeorgia.[143][144][145] After a mob ofpro-Trump supportersstormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, Stefanik condemned the violence but rejected the idea that Trump was at fault.[146][147] She has promoted conspiracy theories about a "stolen election",[148] and just hours after the "invasion" of the Capitol, she voted against accepting Pennsylvania's electoral votes in the 2020 election.[145][149] Later in January, she expressed opposition to impeaching Trump over his alleged role in inciting the storming of the Capitol.[150] She voted against thesecond impeachment on January 13.[151]
In December 2020, one month after the2020 United States presidential election, Stefanik, in an interview withNewsmax, appeared to support Newsmax's baseless claim thatDominion Voting Systems had helpedJoe Biden "steal" the election fromDonald Trump. Newsmax had been promoting the theory but later issued a retraction after reaching a legal settlement withDominion. Stefanik continued to make unsubstantiated claims about election fraud in public statements.[152]
In December 2020, Stefanik joined over 100GOPHouse members in anamicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the 2020 election.[153]
She backed Trump'sattempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election, objecting toPennsylvania's electoral votes after Trump supporters were involved in the2021 United States Capitol attack. As theU.S. House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack began to investigate, Stefanik said that SpeakerNancy Pelosi was responsible. Stefanik claimed without evidence that Pelosi was "aware of potential security threats to the Capitol and she failed to act".[154]
Stefanik has forwarded the idea of "expunging" both of Trump's impeachments.
In 2022, Republican congressmanMarkwayne Mullin introduced resolutions to remove Trump's impeachments from theCongressional Record.[155] This received support from Stefanik.[156] On June 22, 2023, Stefanik and CongresswomanMarjorie Taylor Greene introduced a pair of resolutions to expunge Trump's impeachments.[157] The next day, Republican Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy lent his support to the resolutions.[158]
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In a July 2015Washington Times profile, Jacqueline Klimas noted that Stefanik was the only freshman on that year's conference committee for the defense policy bill, a position accorded to her "because of her extensive experience in foreign policy—working in the George W. Bush administration, prepping Rep. Paul Ryan for his vice presidential debates, and listening to commanders at Fort Drum in her home district". Jack Collens, a political science professor at Siena College, told Klimas that Stefanik's prize committee position signaled that party leaders wanted Stefanik to be part of "the next generation of Republican leaders".[159]
In 2017, Stefanik criticized Trump's decision towithdraw from the Paris climate agreement. She contended that the move was "misguided" and "harms the ongoing effort tofight climate change, while also isolating us from our allies".[160] In January 2017, Stefanik joined the Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, an apparent indication of "a moderate stance on climate change issues".[161]
Stefanik is considered to be hawkish towards China, calling the country "the key challenge of the 21st century".[162][163] She has proposed legislation to prohibit the Chinese drone manufacturerDJI from operating in the United States.[164] Though she initially supported military aid to Ukraine when it came under invasion by Russia, she later voted against $60.8 billion aid bill.[165][166]
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Stefanik is strongly pro-Israel. In May 2024, she gave a speech at the IsraeliKnesset, calling for "wiping" those responsible for theOctober 7 attacks "off the face of the Earth".[167] She is sharply critical of theUnited Nations, accusing it of fostering "antisemitic rot".[162] In September 2024, she criticized the United Nations's "extreme antisemitism and moral depravity" and has called on President Joe Biden to "unequivocally support Israel’s right to defend itself against both brutal terrorists and biased international organizations".[164] In October 2024, she called for a "complete reassessment of US funding of the United Nations" after thePalestinian Authority attempted to expel Israel from the UN due to alleged human rights abuses in Gaza.[168]
On May 4, 2017, Stefanik voted on party lines in favor of repealing theAffordable Care Act and passing the House Republican-sponsoredAmerican Health Care Act of 2017.[169][170]
Following a televised community forum in Plattsburgh four days later, at which many attendees opposed her vote and wanted to maintain Obamacare,[171] Stefanik said she had been unfairly criticized for her vote for AHCA.[172][173] She defended her vote in a post on Medium, "Setting the Record Straight on the American Health Care Act".[174][175] Her claims about the effects of the AHCA were strongly disputed by fact checkers at theGlens Falls Post-Star,[176] North Country Public Radio,[177] and the AlbanyTimes Union.[178]
In 2017, Stefanik co-sponsored the Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act in the 115th Congress—legislation that, among other things, would eliminate the genetic privacy protections of theGenetic Information Nondiscrimination Act and allow companies to require employees to undergogenetic testing or risk paying a penalty of thousands of dollars, and let employers see that genetic and other health information. The American Society of Human Genetics opposes the bill.[179]
In November 2017, Stefanik voted for the Championing Healthy Kids Act, which would provide a five-year extension to theChildren's Health Insurance Program.[180]
Stefanik opposed Trump's 2017executive order imposing a temporary ban on travel and immigration to the United States by nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries.[181]
Stefanik declined to condemn theTrump administration family separation policy,[182] instead publishing a press release congratulating Trump after he signed anExecutive Order to suspend new separations and detain families.[183]
On March 26, 2019, Stefanik was one of 14 Republicans to vote with all House Democrats to override Trump'sveto of a measure unwinding the latter's declaration of a national emergency at the southern border.[184]
Although she had previously supportedDACA,[185] Stefanik voted against theDREAM Act in 2021.[186]
During the2022 United States infant formula shortage, Stefanik criticized the Biden administration for supplying baby formula to undocumented immigrants, claiming that Biden was prioritizing immigrants over American citizens. Stefanik accused the Democrats of collaborating with "pedo grifters" in implementing this policy. Stefanik's office later stated she was referencing sexual misconduct allegations against one of the founders of theLincoln Project.[187] Stefanik has further claimed in a Facebook campaign advertisement in 2021 that Democrats were orchestrating a "permanent election insurrection" by granting amnesty to undocumented immigrants in order to "overthrow our current electorate and create a permanent liberal majority in Washington". After the2022 Buffalo shooting, this advertisement received renewed criticism.[188] congressmanAdam Kinzinger cited Stefanik's advertisement as proof for his accusation that Stefanik had promoted thewhite nationalistreplacement theory, a theory which the Buffalo shooter believed.[189] An adviser to Stefanik denied the accusation, calling it a "new disgusting low for the Left, their Never Trump allies, and the sycophant stenographers in the media".[190]
Stefanik voted to release theNunes memo[191] written by staff members of RepresentativeDevin Nunes.[192] Trump asserted that the memo discredited theinvestigation intoRussian interference in the 2016 United States elections,[193] but theFederal Bureau of Investigation asserted: "material omissions of fact ... fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy."[194]
Stefanik supported ending theHouse Intelligence Committee's investigation intoRussian interference in the 2016 United States elections[195] over the objections of Committee Democrats.[196]
On December 19, 2017, Stefanik voted against theTax Cuts and Jobs Act. In a December 18 Facebook post, she wrote, "The final bill does not adequately protect the state and local tax deduction that so many in our district and across New York rely on ... New York is one of the highest taxed states in the country, and families here rely on this important deduction to make ends meet."[197]
After theFederal Communications Commission decided to repeal Obama-eranet neutrality in December 2017, Stefanik urged her congressional colleagues to pass legislation restoring the policy.[198]
In September 2018, Stefanik,Seth Moulton andDan Donovan co-sponsored the Cyber Ready Workforce Act advanced byJacky Rosen. The legislation would create a grant program within theDepartment of Labor to "create, implement, and expand registered apprenticeships" incybersecurity. It aims to offer certifications and connect participants with businesses, in order to "boost the number" of workers for federal jobs in that field.[199][200]
In the116th Congress, Stefanik was one of eight Republicans to vote for theEquality Act.[201][202] Later in the same Congress, she introduced a bill, The Fairness for All Act, that would prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ people while also including exceptions for religious groups and small businesses with religious foundations.[203] Stefanik voted against theEquality Act on February 25, 2021, despite having supported the same legislation during the previous Congress.[204][205]
On July 19, 2022, Stefanik was one of the 47 Republican representatives who voted in favor of theRespect for Marriage Act, which codified the right to same-sex marriage in federal law.[206]
In 2024, alongside formerHUD secretaryBen Carson and anti-LGBTQ psychologistMiriam Grossman, Stefanik called for a nationwide ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth and a ban on public schools using transgender students' preferred pronouns. This ban would be enforced by potential civil rights suits and the elimination of federal funding for noncompliant institutions. Stefanik described support for transgender children as part of a broader "anti-Western" ideology in American education.[207] When theSaratoga Springs City School District in New York passed the "Affirming Our Support for Every Student" resolution, which allowed transgender students to play on sports teams matching their stated gender identity, Stefanik called for a federal investigation into the school district and said theTrump Administration could revoke their federal funding over the policy.[208][209]
Stefanik opposes theFor the People Act. She made a false claim that the legislation would "prevent removal of ineligible voters from registration rolls". BothFactCheck.org andPolitiFact rated Stefanik's claim "False", with PolitiFact stating, "No section of the bill prevents an election official from removing an ineligible person on the voting rolls."[210][211]
Stefanik has long advocated for empowering women in the Republican Party and has influenced the party's culture to prioritize electing more women.[55] After her election in 2014, Stefanik named Facebook COOSheryl Sandberg as a major influence on her decision to run for Congress.[212]
Following the victory ofZohran Mamdani in the2025 New York City Democratic mayoral primary, Stefanik responded with condemnations of Mamdani, calling him a "Hamas Terrorist sympathizer" and an "antisemitic,jihadist, Communist candidate." Stefanik blamedNew York governorKathy Hochul for Mamdani's victory, writing to Hochul that “You own this dangerous insanity and are incapable of defeating it.”[213][214][215] In October 2025, Stefanik again attacked Mamdani as a jihadist, saying that Mamdani is “a full-blown jihadist who has called for the genocide of Jews."[216][217]
Stefanik has received upwards of $980,000 fromAIPAC as of November 2025.[218]
During the 2022 election cycle, Stefanik was a strong early supporter ofGeorge Santos's campaign for U.S. representative fromNew York's 3rd district, onLong Island. She endorsed him in August 2021, lent him a staffer who played a major role in his campaign, and held a fundraiser for him in May 2022 that raised over $100,000. After Santos won the election,The New York Times and other media outlets reported that he had greatly misrepresented much of his background, including employers and schools he had no connection with, as well as aspects of his family history and ethnic background; in addition, there were personal details he had not shared, such as an active criminal case against him in Brazil.[219] In December 2023, Stefanik voted against expelling Santos from the House of Representatives, saying his expulsion would set "a dangerous precedent, and I am voting no based upon my concerns regarding due process." Santos was expelled from the House by a vote of 311–114.[220]
In 2022, Stefanik endorsedCarl Paladino in the election to succeed retiringU.S. representativeChris Jacobs inNew York's 23rd congressional district. Stefanik reportedly had a history of disputes with Paladino's rival in the Republican primary, then-New York Republican State Committee chairNick Langworthy.[221] Paladino made comments on a radio show in 2021 praisingAdolf Hitler, saying he was "the kind of leader we need today". Stefanik condemned Paladino's remarks when asked about them byHuffPost but did not withdraw her endorsement.[222] After Paladino called for the execution ofAttorney GeneralMerrick Garland, former Republican congresswomanMia Love called upon Stefanik to rescind her endorsement of Paladino.[223] Stefanik actively campaigned for Paladino, hosting a tele-rally for him the night before the primary. Paladino lost the primary to Langworthy.[224]
Stefanik is a member of theNew York Young Republican Club (NYYRC), an organization connected to white nationalists and other far-right figures.[225] In 2025, Stefanik accepted an award from the New York State Young Republicans, and praisedPeter Giunta, the chair of the organization, for his "tremendous leadership." Stefanik endorsed Giunta's failed bid to lead theYoung Republican National Federation. After Politico published an investigation which revealed Giunta had participated in a racistTelegramchat with other young Republicans in which Giunta wrote "I love Hitler", Stefanik called the chat "absolutely appalling" and called for all Republican officials involved in the chat to resign. However, she also attacked the article in Politico as a "hit piece", saying that Democrats had failed to condemnJay Jones for his texting scandal in contrast with Republican condemnation of the Telegram chat.[226][227]
| Year | Republican | Votes | Pct | Democrat | Votes | Pct | Green | Votes | Pct | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Elise Stefanik | 96,226 | 55.1% | Aaron G. Woolf | 59,063 | 33.8% | Matthew J. Funiciello | 19,238 | 11% | [33] |
| 2016 | Elise Stefanik(incumbent) | 177,886 | 65.3% | Mike Derrick | 82,161 | 30.1% | Matthew J. Funiciello | 12,452 | 4.6% | [228] |
| 2018 | Elise Stefanik(incumbent) | 131,981 | 56.1% | Tedra Cobb | 99,791 | 42.4% | Lynn Kahn | 3,437 | 1.5% | [229] |
| 2020 | Elise Stefanik(incumbent) | 188,655 | 58.8% | Tedra Cobb | 131,995 | 41.2% | [230] | |||
| 2022 | Elise Stefanik(incumbent) | 168,579 | 59.1% | Matt Castelli | 116,421 | 40.8% | [231] | |||
| 2024 | Elise Stefanik (incumbent) | 216,513 | 62.1% | Paula Collins | 131,930 | 37.9% | [232] |
Stefanik is aRoman Catholic.[233][234]
After the 2012 election, Stefanik bought a home inWillsboro, New York, nearPlattsburgh. Her parents had owned a vacation home in Willsboro for many years.[235][236] Her father's family areGalicianPoles. Stefanik keepsthe Polish Christmas Eve traditions.[9][237]
On August 19, 2017, inSaratoga Springs, New York, Stefanik married Matthew Manda, who works in marketing and communications.[238] In December 2018, Stefanik and Manda moved toSchuylerville, near Saratoga Springs.[239] As of 2022[update], Manda works as the manager of public affairs for theNational Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade association for firearms manufacturers.[240] Together they have one child, Samuel Albritton (born 2021).[241]
Her [Stefanik's] oldest known ancestor, Mikolaj Stefanik, a clearly Polish name, was born in Frysztak, Poland, a small shtetl located near Strzow, Jaslo, in southern Poland, as was presumably his wife, Veronika Zolniarz, whom he married in Frysztak.
Jej najstarszy znany przodek, Mikołaj Stefanik, wywodził się z gminy żydowskiej Frysztak koło Jasła. Babcią ze strony ojca była urodzona już w Amsterdamie Cecylia Anna Andrzejewska, z kolei dziadkiem ze strony ojca były Stanley Stefanik (wnuk Mikołaja). [English: Her oldest known ancestor, Mikołaj Stefanik, hailed from the Jewish shtetl of Frysztak near Jasło. Her grandmother on her father's side was Cecylia Anna Andrzejewska, already born in Amsterdam, while her grandfather on her father's side was Stanley Stefanik (Mikołaj's grandson).]
In addition to recognition of Manson and Schuker, the College will honor seniors Stacey Borden and Elise Stefanik, both honorable mentions for the Women's Leadership Award.
Military readiness, training, logistics and maintenance issues and programs, military construction, installations and family housing issues, and the BRAC process are all part of the subcommittee's purview.
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| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 21st congressional district 2015–present | Incumbent |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by | Baby of the House 2015–2019 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chair of theTuesday Group 2017–2019 Served alongside:Tom MacArthur (2017),Charlie Dent (2017–2018),John Katko (2017–2019) | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of the House Republican Conference 2021–2025 | Succeeded by |
| Vacant Title last held by Garret Graves2023 as Chair of the House Republican Elected Leadership Committee | Chair of House Republican Leadership 2025–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 147th | Succeeded by |
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| International | |
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| National | |
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