Multiple media accounts are reporting this morning that GOP House leadership is backing Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York over Wyoming’s Liz Cheney for conference chair:
BREAKING: @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy and @SteveScalise turn on Cheney, back Stefanik for conference chair.@PunchbowlNews AM is out https://t.co/4XGDpUp2KJ
— Punchbowl News (@PunchbowlNews) May 5, 2021
JUST IN: House Minority Whip Steve Scalise is openly backed Rep. Elise Stefanik to replace Rep. Liz Cheney as House Republican Conference Chair, according to a statement from his spokesperson. https://t.co/D82EjroH7Z
— Axios (@axios) May 5, 2021
“The leadership has completely turned on Cheney”:
So much news this morning in @PunchbowlNews AM.
The leadership has completely turned on Cheney, and is backing Stefanik’s bid, and working to make her the No. 3 House Republicanhttps://t.co/dg451HnwW3 https://t.co/TomF8l6QpJ
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) May 5, 2021
She does seem to get it:
Stefanik – who I should note is now old enough to run for president – is part of a new breed of Republicans who both have honest-to-goodness policy chops and also speak Trumpism fluently.
Ron DeSantis, who betting sites think is the non-Trump 2024 favourite, is another.
— Derek Wallbank (@dwallbank) May 5, 2021
People have been speculating that Dems in New York might draw the borders of her district to make it harder for her to win, but the Cook Political Report’s Dave Wasserman thinks it’s actually in their interests to make her district *more* Republican:
The cold truth for everyone speculating NY Dems could chop up Rep. Elise Stefanik's district, #NY21: it's way more in Dems' interest to pack her North Country seat w/ GOP voters than to try to dilute it w/ Dem voters.
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) May 5, 2021
And:
In this hypothetical Dem gerrymander, Stefanik's house would be in #NY19 and Rep. Claudia Tenney (R)'s house would be in #NY22, but they'd have to battle it out in a #NY21 GOP primary to have much chance of survival (and Stefanik would be heavily favored). pic.twitter.com/T80B44O9ms
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) May 5, 2021
Stefanik, a defender of former President Trump, is more moderate than Cheney:
Elise Stefanik = elected as moderate, new wave Republican who evolved into as a Trump loyalist.
Liz Cheney = a principled conservative, voted party line frequently in last four years, but spoke out against Trump after Jan. 6.
Proof positive that Trump loyalty > policy.
— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) May 4, 2021
Cheney vs. Stefanik, by the numbers:
According to @FiveThirtyEight analysis, Cheney voted in line with Trump position 92.9% of the time, and Stefanik voted in line with Trump position 77.7% of the time. https://t.co/ptFwLQEgu9 https://t.co/n5b9ZDPZpU
— Byron York (@ByronYork) May 5, 2021
That may be true, but she’s also doing stuff like this:
John Kerry illegally sold out America to Iranian terrorists.
John Kerry is compromised & must be prosecuted.
The Media & Dems are protecting him.
Sign the petition to DEMAND an INVESTIGATION into John Kerry BETRAYING the American people to the Iranians: https://t.co/8YGTqbdyuQ pic.twitter.com/cqvtWr9W7G
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) May 4, 2021
We’ll find out more today. Stay tuned.
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