Elise Stefanik raises $1.5 million as she ascends to GOP leadership

Newly minted House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik raised $1.5m in the most recent fundraising quarter, according to Politico.

The New York Republican raised $1.2m through her campaign account and $116,000 through her leadership PAC called E-PAC. The rest of the money was raised through her joint fundraising committee.

Republicans named Ms Stefanik as chairwoman of their conference after they ousted Rep Liz Cheney of Wyoming for her repeated criticisms of former President Donald Trump’s lies about the election.

Conversely, the once-moderate Ms Stefanik emerged as one of Mr Trump’s most vociferous defenders on the House Intelligence Committee during the former president’s first impeachment. Ms Stefanik also voted to object to certifying the presidential election results even after the riot on January 6.

Ms Stefanik has long-prioritized electing Republican women. As such, she’s raised $60,000 for Susan Wright ahead of her race to replace her late husband Ron in Texas’s 6th District. Wright is running against Jake Elzey, who is also a Republican.

Other women who received Ms Stefanik’s cash include Reps Marianette Miller-Meeks of Iowa, Julia Letlow of Louisiana (who won a special election in March) and Claudia Tenney of New York along with Iowa Sen Joni Ernst. But she also raised money for men such as Sens Josh Hawley of Missouri and Tim Scott of South Carolina, as well as Rep Mike Garcia of California.

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