History of Elise Stefanik in Timeline

Elise Stefanik is an American politician currently serving as the U.S. Representative for New York's 21st congressional district, a position she has held since 2015. Notably, she served as the chair of the House Republican Conference from 2021 to 2025. Her role as chair placed her in a significant leadership position within the Republican party in the House of Representatives. Stefanik's career has marked her as a prominent figure in contemporary American politics.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

July 2, 1984: Elise Stefanik Born

On July 2, 1984, Elise Marie Stefanik was born. She is now a politician and U.S. Representative for New York's 21st congressional district.

Others born on this day/year

2002: Graduated from Albany Academy for Girls

In 2002, Elise Stefanik graduated from the Albany Academy for Girls.

2004: Vice President of Student Advisory Committee

In 2004, Elise Stefanik was the vice president of the Student Advisory Committee at the Harvard Institute of Politics.

2006: Graduated from Harvard College

In 2006, Elise Stefanik graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College.

2009: Bill Owens elected for the 21st congressional district

In 2009, Democrat Bill Owens was elected to represent New York's 21st congressional district in a special election.

2009: Founded 'American Maggie' Blog

In 2009, Elise Stefanik founded the blog "American Maggie", a platform to promote the views of "conservative and Republican women".

2012: Bought a home in Willsboro, New York

After the 2012 election, Elise Stefanik purchased a home in Willsboro, New York, near Plattsburgh, where her parents had owned a vacation home. Her father's family are Galician Poles and she keeps the Polish Christmas Eve traditions.

2012: Worked on Republican Platform and Campaigns

In 2012, Elise Stefanik helped prepare the Republican platform for the U.S. presidential election, worked for Tim Pawlenty's committee, and managed Paul Ryan's debate preparation.

August 2013: Declared Candidacy for U.S. House

In August 2013, Elise Stefanik declared her candidacy in the 2014 election for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York's 21st congressional district.

2013: Opposed Sequestration Cuts

In 2013, Elise Stefanik opposed the 2013 sequestration cuts to the federal U.S. military budget, citing its effect on Fort Drum.

January 2014: Received Endorsement from Doug Hoffman

In January 2014, Doug Hoffman endorsed Elise Stefanik for the U.S. House of Representatives.

2014: Elected to Congress

In 2014, Elise Stefanik defeated Matt Doheny in the Republican primary and won the general election against Aaron Woolf and Matt Funiciello. At 30, she became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress at the time.

2014: Sheryl Sandberg named as influence on decision to run for Congress

In 2014, after her election, Elise Stefanik cited Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg as a significant influence on her decision to run for Congress, highlighting her advocacy for empowering women in the Republican Party.

February 2015: Appointed Vice Chair of Subcommittee

In February 2015, Elise Stefanik was appointed vice chair of the United States House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness.

July 2015: Recognition as rising Republican leader

In July 2015, Elise Stefanik was noted as the only freshman on that year's conference committee for the defense policy bill due to her extensive foreign policy experience, signaling her potential as part of "the next generation of Republican leaders".

2015: Became U.S. Representative

In 2015, Elise Stefanik became the U.S. representative for New York's 21st congressional district.

2016: Supporting the end of House Investigation

In 2016, Elise Stefanik supported ending the House Intelligence Committee's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections over the objections of Committee Democrats.

2016: Voting to release the Nunes memo

In 2016, Elise Stefanik voted to release the Nunes memo written by staff members of Representative Devin Nunes.

2016: Endorsing Donald Trump

In 2016, after Donald Trump won the Republican Party presidential primary, Elise Stefanik became increasingly supportive of his candidacy for president. Despite calling Trump's remarks in the Access Hollywood tape "wrong", Stefanik continued to endorse him.

January 11, 2017: Elected Co-Chair of the Tuesday Group

On January 11, 2017, Elise Stefanik was elected co-chair of the Tuesday Group, a caucus of moderate House Republicans.

January 2017: Joining Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus

In January 2017, Elise Stefanik joined the Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, an apparent indication of "a moderate stance on climate change issues".

May 4, 2017: Voting in favor of repealing the Affordable Care Act

On May 4, 2017, Elise Stefanik voted on party lines in favor of repealing the Affordable Care Act and passing the House Republican-sponsored American Health Care Act of 2017.

August 19, 2017: Married Matthew Manda

On August 19, 2017, Elise Stefanik married Matthew Manda in Saratoga Springs, New York. Matthew Manda works in marketing and communications.

November 2017: Voting for the Championing Healthy Kids Act

In November 2017, Stefanik voted for the Championing Healthy Kids Act, which would provide a five-year extension to the Children's Health Insurance Program.

December 2017: Urging legislation to restore net neutrality

After the Federal Communications Commission decided to repeal Obama-era net neutrality in December 2017, Stefanik urged her congressional colleagues to pass legislation restoring the policy.

December 19, 2017: Voting against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

On December 19, 2017, Elise Stefanik voted against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, citing inadequate protection for the state and local tax deduction.

2017: Supported H.R. 36

In 2017, Elise Stefanik joined her party in supporting H.R. 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.

2017: Voted Against Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

In 2017, Elise Stefanik voted against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, citing concerns about changes to the state and local tax deduction.

2017: Co-sponsoring the Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act

In 2017, Stefanik co-sponsored the Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act in the 115th Congress—legislation that, among other things, would eliminate the genetic privacy protections of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act and allow companies to require employees to undergo genetic testing or risk paying a penalty of thousands of dollars, and let employers see that genetic and other health information.

2017: Opposing Trump's executive order

In 2017, Stefanik opposed Trump's executive order imposing a temporary ban on travel and immigration to the United States by nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries.

2017: Supporting Trump's Position

In early 2017, an analysis by FiveThirtyEight found that Stefanik supported Donald Trump's position in 77.7% of House votes from the 115th to the 117th Congress. Stefanik has been described as a Trump loyalist.

September 2018: Co-sponsoring the Cyber Ready Workforce Act

In September 2018, Stefanik, Seth Moulton and Dan Donovan co-sponsored the Cyber Ready Workforce Act advanced by Jacky Rosen. The legislation would create a grant program within the Department of Labor to "create, implement, and expand registered apprenticeships" in cybersecurity.

December 2018: Moved to Schuylerville

In December 2018, Elise Stefanik and her husband, Matthew Manda, relocated to Schuylerville.

December 2018: Founded Elevate PAC (E-PAC)

In December 2018, Elise Stefanik announced she would leave the NRCC to create a "leadership PAC" dedicated to recruiting Republican women to run for office named Elevate PAC (E-PAC).

March 26, 2019: Voting to override Trump's veto

On March 26, 2019, Stefanik was one of 14 Republicans to vote with all House Democrats to override Trump's veto of a measure unwinding the latter's declaration of a national emergency at the southern border.

September 25, 2019: Announcing Opposition to Trump's Impeachment

On September 25, 2019, Elise Stefanik announced that she did not support the impeachment of President Trump.

November 2019: Defending Trump during Impeachment Hearings

During the November 2019 hearings, in which Congress gathered evidence and heard witness testimony in relation to the impeachment inquiry, Elise Stefanik emerged as a key defender of Trump. During a November 15 hearing, she accused Adam Schiff of preventing Republican committee members from controlling their time to question witnesses.

2019: Opposed Trump's Impeachment

In 2019, Elise Stefanik strongly opposed the first impeachment of Donald Trump.

2019: Bipartisan Index Ranking

In 2019, Elise Stefanik was ranked by the Bipartisan Index as the 19th-most bipartisan House member during the first session of the 115th United States Congress.

December 2020: Joining Amicus Brief to Overturn Election

In December 2020, Stefanik joined over 100 GOP House members in an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the 2020 election.

December 2020: Supporting Texas v. Pennsylvania lawsuit

In December 2020, Stefanik supported the lawsuit Texas v. Pennsylvania, an attempt to reverse Trump's loss by petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to reject certified results in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Georgia.

December 2020: Supporting Baseless Claims

In December 2020, one month after the 2020 United States presidential election, Stefanik, in an interview with Newsmax, appeared to support Newsmax's baseless claim that Dominion Voting Systems had helped Joe Biden "steal" the election from Donald Trump. Newsmax had been promoting the theory but later issued a retraction after reaching a legal settlement with Dominion. Stefanik continued to make unsubstantiated claims about election fraud in public statements.

2020: Backing attempts to overturn the election

In 2020, Elise Stefanik backed Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election.

2020: Objected to Pennsylvania's Electoral Votes

In 2020, Elise Stefanik objected to Pennsylvania's electoral votes in the U.S. presidential election.

2020: Fortune "40 Under 40"

In 2020, Fortune magazine included Elise Stefanik in its "40 Under 40" listing in the "Government and Politics" category.

2020: E-PAC impact in House Elections

In the 2020 House elections, 18 of the 30 women endorsed by Elise Stefanik's E-PAC were elected.

January 6, 2021: Condemning violence at Capitol, rejecting Trump's fault

After a mob of pro-Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, Stefanik condemned the violence but rejected the idea that Trump was at fault. She voted against accepting Pennsylvania's electoral votes.

February 25, 2021: Voting against the Equality Act

Stefanik voted against the Equality Act on February 25, 2021, despite having supported the same legislation during the previous Congress.

March 2021: Voted Against American Rescue Plan Act

In March 2021, Elise Stefanik voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill.

May 2021: Elected Chair of the House Republican Conference

In May 2021, Elise Stefanik was elected chair of the House Republican Conference after Liz Cheney was removed.

May 2021: Calling Trump the Strongest Supporter

In May 2021, Stefanik called Trump the "strongest supporter of any president when it comes to standing up for the Constitution".

May 19, 2021: Voted Against January 6 Commission

On May 19, 2021, Elise Stefanik voted against establishing a January 6 commission to investigate the January 6 United States Capitol attack.

July 29, 2021: Tweeted "FIRE FAUCI!"

On July 29, 2021, Elise Stefanik tweeted "FIRE FAUCI!" opposing federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates for private employers.

August 2021: Endorsed George Santos

In August 2021, Elise Stefanik endorsed George Santos's campaign for U.S. representative from New York's 3rd district.

2021: Voting against the DREAM Act

Although she had previously supported DACA, Stefanik voted against the DREAM Act in 2021.

2021: Campaigning on 'permanent election insurrection'

Elise Stefanik claimed in a Facebook campaign advertisement in 2021 that Democrats were orchestrating a "permanent election insurrection" by granting amnesty to undocumented immigrants.

2021: Paladino praised Adolf Hitler

In 2021, Carl Paladino praised Adolf Hitler, saying he was "the kind of leader we need today".

2021: House Republican Conference Chair

In 2021, Elise Stefanik became chair of the House Republican Conference.

2021: Voting for the Farm Workforce Modernization Act

In 2021, Stefanik was one of 30 Republicans who voted for the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which would grant legal status to illegal immigrants working in agriculture and establish a pathway to permanent residency contingent on continued farm work.

2021: Alleging Nancy Pelosi was responsible for Capitol attack

In 2021, as the U.S. House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack began to investigate, Stefanik said that Speaker Nancy Pelosi was responsible. Stefanik claimed without evidence that Pelosi was "aware of potential security threats to the Capitol and she failed to act".

May 2022: Held fundraiser for George Santos

In May 2022, Elise Stefanik held a fundraiser for George Santos that raised over $100,000, supporting his campaign for U.S. representative.

July 19, 2022: Voting in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act

On July 19, 2022, Stefanik was one of the 47 Republican representatives who voted in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act, which codified the right to same-sex marriage in federal law.

2022: Reelected Conference Chair

After the 2022 elections, Elise Stefanik was reelected as conference chair, defeating Byron Donalds.

2022: Manda works for the National Shooting Sports Foundation

As of 2022, Matthew Manda, Elise Stefanik's husband, is the manager of public affairs for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a firearms manufacturers' trade association.

2022: Criticizing Biden administration during formula shortage

During the 2022 United States infant formula shortage, Stefanik criticized the Biden administration for supplying baby formula to undocumented immigrants, claiming that Biden was prioritizing immigrants over American citizens.

2022: Endorsed Carl Paladino

In 2022, Elise Stefanik endorsed Carl Paladino in the election for New York's 23rd congressional district, supporting him against Nick Langworthy despite Paladino's controversial remarks. Stefanik actively campaigned for Paladino, even after he called for the execution of Attorney General Merrick Garland.

2022: Support received for resolutions to remove impeachments

In 2022, Republican congressman Markwayne Mullin introduced resolutions to remove Trump's impeachments from the Congressional Record. This received support from Stefanik.

June 22, 2023: Introducing Resolutions to Expunge Trump's Impeachments

On June 22, 2023, Elise Stefanik and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced a pair of resolutions to expunge Trump's impeachments.

August 2023: Enrolled in Master's Program

As of August 2023, Elise Stefanik is enrolled in the master's in defense and strategic studies program at the Naval War College.

December 2023: Voted against expelling George Santos

In December 2023, Elise Stefanik voted against expelling George Santos from the House of Representatives, citing concerns about due process, despite reports of Santos misrepresenting his background.

2023: Hearing on Antisemitism

During a 2023 hearing on antisemitism of the House Education and Workforce Committee, Elise Stefanik questioned university presidents regarding whether "calling for the genocide of Jewish people" constituted bullying or harassment on their campuses, leading to criticism and the resignation of UPenn president Liz Magill. Following the resignation, Stefanik tweeted "One down. Two to go."

2023: Questioning of University Presidents and Award

In 2023, Elise Stefanik questioned university presidents on antisemitism, contributing to Liz Magill's resignation. Stefanik also received the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson Defender of Israel Award.

May 2024: Speech at Israeli Knesset

In May 2024, Stefanik gave a speech at the Israeli Knesset, calling for "wiping" those responsible for the October 7 attacks "off the face of the Earth".

September 2024: Criticizing the United Nations

In September 2024, Elise Stefanik criticized the United Nations's "extreme antisemitism and moral depravity" and has called on President Joe Biden to "unequivocally support Israel’s right to defend itself against both brutal terrorists and biased international organizations".

October 2024: Calling for reassessment of US funding of the UN

In October 2024, Elise Stefanik called for a "complete reassessment of US funding of the United Nations" after the Palestinian Authority attempted to expel Israel from the UN due to alleged human rights abuses in Gaza.

November 2024: Offered UN Ambassador Position

In November 2024, CNN reported that President-elect Trump had offered Elise Stefanik the position of United States ambassador to the United Nations and Stefanik agreed to accept it.

2024: Called for nationwide ban on gender-affirming care

In 2024, Elise Stefanik, along with Ben Carson and Miriam Grossman, advocated for a nationwide ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The proposal included banning public schools from using transgender students' preferred pronouns and enforcing these bans through civil rights suits and defunding noncompliant institutions. Stefanik also criticized support for transgender children, linking it to an "anti-Western" ideology in American education.

January 2025: Nomination as Ambassador to the United Nations

In January 2025, President Trump nominated Elise Stefanik to serve as the United States ambassador to the United Nations.

January 21, 2025: Appeared Before Senate Committee

On January 21, 2025, Elise Stefanik appeared before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, vowing to fight antisemitism, support Israel and Taiwan, counter Chinese influence, and use American contributions as leverage to drive reforms.

January 30, 2025: Nomination Advanced by Committee

On January 30, 2025, the committee advanced Elise Stefanik's nomination in a 19–3 vote. Senate Republicans delayed the confirmation process due to concerns about the narrow Republican majority in the House of Representatives.

March 27, 2025: Nomination Withdrawn

On March 27, 2025, President Trump withdrew Elise Stefanik's nomination as ambassador to the UN due to the slim Republican majority in the House. He asked her to remain in Congress and hinted at another position later.

October 2025: Attacked Zohran Mamdani

In October 2025, Elise Stefanik continued her attacks on Zohran Mamdani, referring to him as “a full-blown jihadist who has called for the genocide of Jews."

November 2025: Announced Gubernatorial Candidacy

In November 2025, Elise Stefanik announced her candidacy in the 2026 New York gubernatorial election.

November 2025: Stefanik Announced Candidacy

In November 2025, Stefanik announced that she would run for Governor of New York instead of seeking re-election in 2026.

2025: Accepted award from the New York State Young Republicans

In 2025, Elise Stefanik accepted an award from the New York State Young Republicans and praised Peter Giunta's leadership. Later, after revelations of Giunta's involvement in a racist Telegram chat, Stefanik condemned the chat but defended the organization, highlighting the contrast with the Democratic response to Jay Jones' scandal.

2025: End of House Republican Conference Chair

In 2025, Elise Stefanik's term as chair of the House Republican Conference ended.

2026: Ended Gubernatorial Campaign

In 2026, Elise Stefanik ended her campaign for the New York gubernatorial election and announced she would not run for re-election to Congress.

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