Elise Stefanik is an American politician, currently holds the position of U.S. representative for New York’s 21st congressional district. Serving as the Chair of the House Republican Conference since 2021, she holds the fourth-highest ranking among House Republicans. Stefanik was the 19th-most bipartisan House member in the first session of the 115th Congress. Heritage Action scored her lifetime at 48%, but she received an 84% score since the 117th Congress began in January 2021, differing from the House Republicans’ average of 95% that session. The American Conservative Union provided a lifetime rating of 44%, while the Club for Growth gave her a lifetime rating of 35%, which is lower than Squad member Ilhan Omar’s.
Bio/Wiki
Age- 39 years
Full name-Elise Marie Stefanik
Height- 163 cm
Weight- 59 Kg
Born- 2 July 1984
Birthplace-Albany, New York, United States
Spouse-Matthew Manda (m. 2017)
Profession-United States Representative
Nationality- American
Office- Representative (R-NY 21st District) since 2015
Parents
Elise Stefanik’s parents are Melanie and Kenneth Stefanik, proprietors of Premium Plywood Products, a wholesale plywood distributor located in Guilderland Center.
Husband
On August 19, 2017, Elise Stefanik married Matthew Manda, who is employed in marketing and communications. As of 2022, Manda serves as the manager of public affairs for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade association representing firearms manufacturers.
Children
They have a child together who was born in 2021.
Education
After graduating from the Albany Academy for Girls, Elise Stefanik pursued her education at Harvard College, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in government in 2006. During her time at Harvard, she demonstrated leadership by being elected vice president of the Harvard Institute of Politics in 2004. Stefanik received recognition for her contributions to women’s advancement, earning an honorable mention for the Women’s Leadership Award, an endowed student award dedicated to acknowledging leadership and contributions toward the progress of women.
Career
Elise Stefanik embarked on her career in public service by joining the George W. Bush administration, where she served as a staff member for the U.S. Domestic Policy Council. Later, she worked in the office of Joshua Bolten, the White House Chief of Staff. Stefanik contributed significantly to the Republican platform in 2012, held the position of director of new media for Tim Pawlenty’s presidential exploratory committee, and worked at organizations such as the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and Foreign Policy Initiative. Additionally, she played a key role in managing Representative Paul Ryan’s debate preparation for the 2012 presidential debates.
U.S. House of Representatives
In August 2013, Elise Stefanik announced her candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York’s 21st congressional district in the 2014 election. She secured victory in the 2014 Republican primary, defeating Matt Doheny with 61% of the votes. Stefanik went on to face Aaron Woolf (Democratic nominee) and Matt Funiciello (Green Party nominee) in the general election held on November 4, 2014.
Continuing her political career, Stefanik sought reelection in 2016 and exhibited increasing support for Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy following his win in the 2016 Republican Party presidential primary. In 2017, former ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton endorsed Stefanik for her reelection, praising her contributions to the House Armed Services Committee.
In the 2020 election, Stefanik emerged victorious against Tedra Cobb with 59% of the vote compared to Cobb’s 41%. She secured another win in 2020, defeating Matt Castelli, a former CIA Officer, with 59.2% of the vote against Castelli’s 40.8%.
During a 2023 hearing on antisemitism in the House Education and Workforce Committee, Stefanik questioned presidents of Harvard, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania, asking whether advocating for the genocide of Jewish people constituted bullying or harassment on their campuses.
Net Worth 2024
As of 2024, Elise Stefanik’s net worth stands at 5 million dollars.
Latest News about Elise Stefanik
Elise Stefanik Aligns with Trump’s “Hostage” Rhetoric on Jan. 6 Defendants
Former President Donald Trump and Rep. Elise Stefanik have referred to the federal criminal defendants from the Jan. 6 Capitol attack as “hostages,” drawing criticism. However, it’s essential to note that the comparison has been offensive to some relatives of hostages taken during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. The majority of those charged in connection with the Capitol attack, especially those facing misdemeanors, have been released pending trial. Those currently incarcerated have often pleaded guilty or been found guilty by juries, while others are held pretrial due to concerns about public safety, pre-trial violations, or flight risk.
“They ought to release the J6 hostages. They’ve suffered,” Trump said over the weekend. “I call them hostages. Some people call them prisoners. I call them hostages. Release the J6 hostages, Joe. Release them Joe. You can do it real easy, Joe”
Rep. Elise Stefanik, the current No. 4 member of House GOP leadership, has aligned herself with former President Trump’s rhetoric, referring to Jan. 6 criminal defendants as “hostages.” This assertion follows her rise to the position after Liz Cheney’s removal for criticizing Trump’s actions related to the Capitol attack. Despite Stefanik expressing concerns about the treatment of these individuals, her office did not respond to requests for clarification on which specific Jan. 6 criminal defendants she believes are being held as “hostages.”
During a speech three years ago, on January 6, 2021, Representative Elise Stefanik of New York stated that the rioters should face prosecution “to the fullest extent of the law.”
