Trump ally Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik raises massive $3 million fundraiser since early 2023 — and sets up battlefield fund to ensure GOP keeps seats won in New York (including one held by George Santos)
- In the last election cycle, the House Republicans won a slim majority, thanks in large part to four seats they flipped in the Empire State
- Democrats are hungry to reclaim their territory — in February, a liberal super-PAC announced it would spend $45 million in New York alone
- In the 2022 midterm cycle, she raised $9 million for her campaign and $9 million for national PACs supporting GOP candidates
House GOP conference chair Elise Stefanik has secured $3 million in fundraising for the GOP in the first quarter of 2023 and is now launching a “battlefield fund” to bolster Republican gains in blue New York.
Since Stefanik took the number three position among House Republicans after the impeachment of Rep. Liz Cheney, Stefanik has become a prolific fundraiser — in the 2022 midterm cycle, she raised $9 million for her campaign and $9 million for national PACs supporting GOP candidates, more than any other conference chair in history.
In the last election cycle, House Republicans won a narrow majority, thanks in large part to four seats they flipped in the Empire State. But the Democrats are hungry to reclaim their territory — in February, a liberal super-PAC announced it would spend $45 million over the next cycle in New York alone.
“The road to a Democratic House majority runs through New York,” Mike Smith, the House Majority PAC chairman, said of campaign spending.
Elise Stefanik (RN.Y.) Secures $3 Million in Fundraising for the GOP in Q1 2023, Now Launching a “Battlefield Fund” to Bolster Republican Gains in Blue New York
Stefanik was one of the first to endorse Donald Trump’s third presidential nomination and has insisted he is still the leader of the Republican Party.
“I am grateful for the hundreds of thousands of basic donors in Upstate New York and across the country,” the 38-year-old New York Republican said in a statement. “We will do our utmost to defeat the Democrats in New York and across the country, to protect and expand our majority in the House, and to elect President Trump.”
Empire State Republicans sang her praises for her fundraising efforts. “Elise has been immensely helpful to the entire New York delegation,” Representative Marc Molinaro said.
“New York Republicans are incredibly grateful to Elise’s strong leadership for our state,” New York GOP Chairman Ed Cox said.
Molinaro, along with Representatives Anthony D’Esposito, Mike Lawler and George Santos, are the four freshmen who flipped blue seats in New York in 2022, each facing a controversial election in the next cycle.
Stefanik was one of the first to endorse Donald Trump’s third presidential nomination and has insisted he is still the leader of the GOP
Rep. Elise Stefanik (left) poses with former President Donald Trump (right)
Stefanik has started a ‘battlefield fund’ to boost New York Republicans – who count George Santos among their ranks
The contested Santos seat has been rated “lean Democratic” for the 2024 cycle, while the other three are considered toss-ups.
Stefanik was first elected in 2014 — at 29 years old, she was the youngest woman ever to be elected to Congress. She flipped a district that President Obama had won twice.
She has since gone from a moderate Republican focused on getting more GOP women into Congress to a MAGA frontline now being talked about as a vice presidential nominee for Trump.
All 435 seats in the House are up for re-election in 2024 — and 42 of those races are considered competitive. Eighteen of those seats are held by Republicans in districts won by Joe Biden in 2020, five of which are held by Democrats being Trump one.