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. She held the position of chair of the House Republican Conference from 2021 to 2025, making her the fourth-ranking House Republican. Her district encompasses the North Country and Adirondack Mountains, including some Utica suburbs and parts of the Capital District. Elected in 2014 at age 30, Stefanik was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress at the time.
July 2, 1984: Elise Stefanik Born
On July 2, 1984, Elise Marie Stefanik was born. She later became the U.S. Representative for New York's 21st congressional district.
October 1998: Profile in Times Union
In October 1998, at age 14, Elise Stefanik was featured in a Times Union profile about U.S. senator Al D'Amato, expressing support for the Republican view.
2002: Graduation from Albany Academy for Girls
In 2002, Elise Stefanik graduated from the Albany Academy for Girls.
2004: Elected VP of Harvard Institute of Politics
In 2004, Elise Stefanik was elected vice president of the Harvard Institute of Politics.
2006: Graduated from Harvard College
In 2006, Elise Stefanik graduated from Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in government.
2008: GINA Enacted
In 2008, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) was enacted, later to have some protections potentially removed by a bill Stefanik cosponsored in 2017.
2009: Special Election
In 2009 Democrat Bill Owens was elected to represent the 21st district.
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: Home purchase in Willsboro, New York
After the 2012 election, Stefanik bought a home in Willsboro, New York, near Plattsburgh, where her parents owned a vacation home.
2012: Republican Platform Preparation
In 2012, Elise Stefanik helped prepare the Republican platform and managed Representative Paul Ryan's debate preparation for the 2012 presidential debates.
August 2013: Announced 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 to Military Budget
In 2013, Elise Stefanik opposed the sequestration cuts to the federal U.S. military budget, citing its effect on Fort Drum.
January 2014: Announcement of No Reelection
In January 2014, Bill Owens announced that he would not seek reelection, opening the door for Stefanik's successful run.
2014: Stefanik Names Sheryl Sandberg as Influence for Running for Congress
After her election in 2014, Elise Stefanik named Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg as a major influence on her decision to run for Congress.
2014: Elected to the House
In 2014, Elise Stefanik was elected to the House of Representatives for New York's 21st congressional district, becoming the youngest woman elected to Congress at the time at age 30.
January 2015: Appointed to House Armed Services Committee
In January 2015, Elise Stefanik was appointed to the House Armed Services Committee and elected as the freshman representative to the policy committee.
February 2015: Appointed Vice Chair of Subcommittee on Readiness
In February 2015, Elise Stefanik was appointed vice chair of the House Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Readiness.
July 2015: Stefanik Serves on Defense Policy Bill Conference Committee
In July 2015, Elise Stefanik was the only freshman on that year's conference committee for the defense policy bill, which was a position she was given due to her foreign policy experience.
2016: Re-election and Support for Trump
In 2016, Elise Stefanik ran for reelection and became increasingly supportive of Donald Trump's candidacy for president after he won the 2016 Republican Party presidential primary.
2016: Stefanik Supports Ending House Intelligence Committee 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: Stefanik Votes to Release Nunes Memo
In 2016, Elise Stefanik voted to release the Nunes memo written by staff members of Representative Devin Nunes.
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: Stefanik Joins Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus
In January 2017, Elise Stefanik joined the Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, indicating a moderate stance on climate change issues.
May 4, 2017: Stefanik Votes to Repeal Obamacare and Pass American Health Care Act
On May 4, 2017, Elise Stefanik voted along party lines in favor of repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and passing the House Republican-sponsored American Health Care Act.
August 19, 2017: Marriage to Matthew Manda
On August 19, 2017, Elise Stefanik married Matthew Manda in Saratoga Springs, New York.
November 2017: Stefanik Votes for Championing Healthy Kids Act
In November 2017, Elise Stefanik voted for the Championing Healthy Kids Act, which would provide a five-year extension to the Children's Health Insurance Program.
December 2017: Stefanik Urges Colleagues to Restore Net Neutrality
In December 2017, after the Federal Communications Commission decided to repeal Obama-era net neutrality, Elise Stefanik urged her congressional colleagues to pass legislation restoring the policy.
December 19, 2017: Stefanik Votes Against Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
On December 19, 2017, Elise Stefanik voted against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, citing concerns about its impact on the state and local tax deduction for New York residents.
2017: Stefanik Co-Sponsors the Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act
In 2017, Elise Stefanik co-sponsored the Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act in the 115th Congress, which would eliminate genetic privacy protections and allow companies to require employees to undergo genetic testing.
2017: Stefanik Opposes Trump's Travel Ban
In 2017, Elise Stefanik opposed President Trump's executive order imposing a temporary ban on travel and immigration to the United States by nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries.
2017: Vote Against Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
In 2017, Elise Stefanik voted against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, citing concerns over changes to the state and local tax deduction and the impact on New York families.
2017: Re-election to Congress
In 2017, Elise Stefanik was reelected to Congress, receiving an endorsement from John Bolton.
2017: Supported HR 36
In 2017, Stefanik joined her party in supporting H.R. 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act of 2017.
2017: Support for Trump's Position
In early 2017, an analysis by FiveThirtyEight found that Elise Stefanik supported Donald Trump's position in 77.7% of House votes from the 115th to the 117th Congress.
September 2018: Stefanik Co-Sponsors Cyber Ready Workforce Act
In September 2018, Elise Stefanik co-sponsored the Cyber Ready Workforce Act, which would create a grant program within the Department of Labor to expand registered apprenticeships in cybersecurity.
December 2018: Creation of Elevate PAC (E-PAC)
In December 2018, Elise Stefanik announced she would leave the NRCC to create Elevate PAC (E-PAC), dedicated to recruiting Republican women to run for office.
December 2018: Move to Schuylerville
In December 2018, Stefanik and Manda moved to Schuylerville, near Saratoga Springs.
March 26, 2019: Stefanik Votes to Override Trump's Veto on National Emergency Declaration
On March 26, 2019, Elise Stefanik was one of 14 Republicans to vote with all House Democrats to override President Trump's veto of a measure unwinding the latter's declaration of a national emergency at the southern border.
September 25, 2019: Stefanik Announces Opposition to Trump Impeachment
On September 25, 2019, Elise Stefanik announced that she did not support the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
November 2019: Stefanik Becomes Key Defender of Trump During Impeachment Hearings
During the November 2019 impeachment hearings, Elise Stefanik defended Trump. A controversy arose when Adam Schiff prevented Devin Nunes from yielding questioning time to her, leading to accusations of Schiff "gagging" her.
2019: Opposed Trump Impeachment
In 2019, Elise Stefanik strongly opposed the first impeachment of President Donald Trump amid the Trump–Ukraine scandal.
2019: Ratings from PACs
In 2019, The National Right to Life Committee gave Stefanik a 71% rating, and NARAL Pro-Choice America gave her a 28% rating.
2019: Ranked by the Bipartisan Index
Stefanik was ranked by the Bipartisan Index as the 19th-most bipartisan House member during the first session of the 115th United States Congress in 2019.
December 2020: Stefanik Appears to Support Baseless Claim About Dominion Voting Systems
In December 2020, Elise Stefanik appeared to support Newsmax's baseless claim that Dominion Voting Systems had helped Joe Biden "steal" the election from Donald Trump.
December 2020: Stefanik Joins Amicus Brief Seeking to Overturn 2020 Election
In December 2020, Elise Stefanik joined over 100 GOP House members in an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the 2020 election.
December 2020: Stefanik Supports Lawsuit to Overturn Election Results
In December 2020, Elise Stefanik supported the lawsuit Texas v. Pennsylvania, seeking to reject certified election results in key states, and made false claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
2020: Backed Trump's Election Overturn Attempts
In 2020, Elise Stefanik backed President Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election.
2020: Included in Fortune's '40 Under 40'
In 2020, Elise Stefanik was included in Fortune magazine's "40 Under 40" listing in the "Government and Politics" category.
2020: Backed Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 Presidential Election
In 2020, Stefanik backed Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 Presidential election.
2020: E-PAC Success in House Elections
In the 2020 House elections, 18 of the 30 women endorsed by Stefanik's E-PAC were elected.
January 6, 2021: Stefanik Condemns Capitol Violence but Rejects Trump's Fault
On January 6, 2021, after the U.S. Capitol attack, Elise Stefanik condemned the violence but rejected the idea that Trump was at fault and voted against accepting Pennsylvania's electoral votes.
January 2021: Heritage Action Rating Increase
With the beginning of the 117th Congress in January 2021, Heritage Action gave Elise Stefanik an 84% score.
February 25, 2021: Stefanik Votes Against the Equality Act
On February 25, 2021, Elise Stefanik voted against the Equality Act, despite supporting the same legislation in the previous Congress.
March 2021: Vote Against American Rescue Plan Act
In March 2021, Elise Stefanik and all House Republicans voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which was a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill.
May 2021: Stefanik calls Trump 'strongest supporter of the Constitution'
In May 2021, Elise Stefanik publicly called Donald Trump the "strongest supporter of any president when it comes to standing up for the Constitution".
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 19, 2021: Vote Against January 6 Commission
On May 19, 2021, Elise Stefanik and other House Republican leaders voted against establishing a January 6 commission to investigate the January 6 United States Capitol attack.
August 2021: Endorsement of George Santos
In August 2021, Elise Stefanik endorsed George Santos's campaign for U.S. representative from New York's 3rd district.
2021: Paladino's controversial remarks
In 2021, Carl Paladino made controversial remarks praising Adolf Hitler, leading to scrutiny of Stefanik's endorsement.
2021: Birth of Samuel Albritton
In 2021, Elise Stefanik and Matthew Manda had their first child, Samuel Albritton.
2021: Chair of the House Republican Conference
In 2021, Elise Stefanik became the chair of the House Republican Conference, serving until 2025, making her the fourth-ranking House Republican.
2021: Accusations of Promoting "Permanent Election Insurrection"
In 2021, Elise Stefanik claimed in a Facebook campaign advertisement that Democrats were orchestrating a "permanent election insurrection" by granting amnesty to undocumented immigrants.
2021: Endorsement from Trump to replace Cheney
In 2021, Elise Stefanik received the endorsement of President Trump and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise to replace Liz Cheney as conference chair.
2021: Stefanik Votes Against the DREAM Act
In 2021, Elise Stefanik voted against the DREAM Act, despite previously supporting DACA.
2021: Removed from committee
In 2021, Stefanik was removed from the committee following her objection to Pennsylvania's electoral votes after the storming of the U.S. Capitol.
2021: Stefanik Says Pelosi Was Responsible for January 6th Attack
In 2021, as the U.S. House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack began to investigate, Stefanik claimed that Speaker Nancy Pelosi was responsible for the attack.
May 2022: Fundraiser for George Santos
In May 2022, Stefanik held a fundraiser for George Santos, raising over $100,000 for his campaign.
July 19, 2022: Stefanik Votes in Favor of Respect for Marriage Act
On July 19, 2022, Elise Stefanik was one of the 47 Republican representatives who voted in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act, which would codify the right to same-sex marriage in federal law.
2022: Reelected as Conference Chair
After the 2022 elections, Elise Stefanik was reelected as conference chair, defeating Byron Donalds.
2022: Manda's employment
As of 2022, Matthew Manda works as the manager of public affairs for the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
2022: Criticizes Biden Administration During Infant Formula Shortage
During the 2022 United States infant formula shortage, Elise Stefanik criticized the Biden administration for supplying baby formula to undocumented immigrants, claiming that Biden was prioritizing immigrants over American citizens.
2022: Stefanik Supports Resolutions to Remove Trump's Impeachments
In 2022, Elise Stefanik supported resolutions introduced by Republican congressman Markwayne Mullin to remove Trump's impeachments from the Congressional Record.
2022: Endorsement of Carl Paladino
In 2022, Stefanik endorsed Carl Paladino in the election for New York's 23rd congressional district.
June 22, 2023: Introduces Resolutions to Expunge Trump's Impeachments
On June 22, 2023, Elise Stefanik and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced resolutions to expunge Trump's impeachments.
December 2023: Questioning of University Presidents on Antisemitism
In December 2023, Elise Stefanik gained national attention for her questioning of university presidents during a U.S. congressional hearing on antisemitism, leading to the resignation of the president of the University of Pennsylvania.
December 2023: Vote against expelling George Santos
In December 2023, Stefanik voted against expelling George Santos from the House of Representatives, citing concerns about due process.
2023: House Education and Workforce Committee Hearing on Antisemitism
During a 2023 hearing on antisemitism of the House Education and Workforce Committee, Stefanik questioned the presidents of Harvard, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania regarding whether "calling for the genocide of Jewish people" constituted bullying or harassment on their campuses. UPenn president Liz Magill resigned the following week.
September 2024: Criticizes United Nations for 'Extreme Antisemitism and Moral Depravity'
In September 2024, Elise Stefanik criticized the United Nations's "extreme antisemitism and moral depravity".
October 2024: Calls for Complete Reassessment of US Funding of the United Nations
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 human rights abuses in Gaza.
November 10, 2024: Ambassador to the UN announcement
On November 10, 2024, President-elect Trump announced that Stefanik would serve as the United States ambassador to the United Nations.
November 2024: Offered Ambassadorship
In November 2024, CNN reported that President-elect Trump had offered Stefanik the position of United States ambassador to the United Nations.
January 21, 2025: Appeared before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
On January 21, 2025 Stefanik appeared before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. During the hearing, she vowed to fight antisemitism, support Israel and Taiwan, counter Chinese influence, and use American contributions as leverage to drive reforms when necessary.
2025: End of term as Chair of the House Republican Conference
Elise Stefanik's term as chair of the House Republican Conference concluded in 2025, a position she held since 2021.
