Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) hopes to expand the Republican effort to maintain control of key congressional seats in New York after flipping four Democratic districts last year.
The third-ranking House Republican touted an anticipated haul of around $100 million to assist GOP candidates with their campaigning ahead of the primary in vulnerable seats like those held by freshman Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Rep. George Santos (R-NY), who is under federal indictment, according to Politico.
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After winning her fifth term in Congress last year, Stefanik rose through the Republican ranks by being a vocal ally of former President Donald Trump, positioning herself as a potential running mate for the GOP presidential front-runner. Despite his four indictments, Stefanik has said Trump is an asset to New York Republicans who are pushing their policies in a largely blue state.
“Trump is a strength in many ways,” Stefanik told the outlet at her dairy farm in upstate New York last week.
New York is set to have some of the most competitive congressional races in the country after a court ordered the state to redraw its congressional districts in July, giving Democrats an opportunity to shift the seats in their favor. In 2022, an appeals court ruled the Democratic-led congressional lines were illegal, and the new lines then allowed Republicans to soar through the midterm elections. Now, an appeals court ruled that New York’s redistricting commission must be drawn by a bipartisan state commission ahead of the 2024 elections.
In April, Stefanik launched a “battleground fund” to help elect congressional Republicans in New York to office, reporting $3 million raised in the first 2023 quarter.
“I really defer to them in terms of who they believe is the best candidate for that part of the district,” Stefanik said of Republican candidates, but she doesn't plan on personally endorsing any.
While Republicans work to keep the power, Democrats are hoping to elevate House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) to speaker of the House and turn seats back to blue. Democrats' largest super PAC, House Majority PAC, is pouring $45 million into New York. Focusing on issues like abortion rights, gun control, and the migrant crisis that has taken over the city, Democrats are hoping for a blue turnout in 2024.
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“New York will play an important and outsized role in the outcome of the 2024 House elections. Period. Full stop,” Jeffries said in an interview with CNN this month.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the House Majority PAC and Jeffries's team for comment.