Elise Stefanik

Elise Marie Stefanik is a Republican politician serving as the U.S. Representative for New York's 21st congressional district, a position she has held since 2015. Born on July 2, 1984, in Albany, New York, she graduated from Harvard University in 2006. Before her election to Congress, Stefanik served in the West Wing of the White House under President George W. Bush, working for the Domestic Policy Council and the Chief of Staff's office. She also worked as the communications director for the Foreign Policy Initiative and as a policy advisor for Tim Pawlenty and Paul Ryan, notably leading debate preparations for Ryan's 2012 vice-presidential campaign. Stefanik was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2014, and at age 30, she was the youngest woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress at the time. In the House, she has served on the Armed Services Committee, the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She rose to significant leadership as the House Republican Conference Chair in 2021, succeeding Liz Cheney. In late 2024, she was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, though the nomination was later withdrawn in March 2025 to preserve the Republican House majority, leading her to rejoin House leadership. In December 2025, she announced she would not seek reelection to the House in 2026.

Stefanik maintains a conservative voting record and publicly stated positions across major policy areas. On the economy, she supports tax reductions, such as the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and advocates for deregulation to support small businesses. In healthcare, she has consistently voted to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, favoring private-market solutions while championing legislation for rural health access and opioid crisis response. Her foreign policy is characterized by an "America First" approach, strong support for Israel, and vocal criticism of the United Nations, calling for reduced U.S. funding to the organization. Regarding immigration, Stefanik emphasizes border security and increased enforcement at both the northern and southern borders, while opposing amnesty for undocumented immigrants. She supports an "all-of-the-above" energy strategy that includes domestic oil, gas, and nuclear production, and she generally opposes large-scale federal mandates like the Green New Deal. Additionally, she is a proponent of Second Amendment rights and holds a pro-life position on abortion.