House Speaker Mike Johnson said an effort by New York Democrats to delay a special election to replace Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik is tantamount to “political corruption.” 

Ms. Stefanik, President Trump’s pick to serve as ambassador to the United Nations, has yet to resign from the House as she awaits Senate confirmation, but once she does, her seat in New York’s 21st Congressional District will be vacant. 

New York law requires the governor within 10 days of a congressional vacancy to issue a proclamation scheduling a special election 70-80 days from when the proclamation is issued.

If Ms. Stefanik were to be confirmed and resign next week, for example, that would mean a special election to fill her seat would be held in early May. 

Democrats in New York’s state legislature are reportedly considering changes to the law setting the special election calendar that would delay the filling of Ms. Stefanik’s seat, which is in a solidly Republican district. 

“This is open political corruption by state officials in New York,” Mr. Johnson said in a Monday interview on “Fox & Friends” on Fox News Channel. “I mean, this seat should be filled within 90 days of Elise Stefanik moving over to be the U.N. ambassador. But they’re trying to delay this, maybe to late summer, maybe to fall.”

New York Democrats are discussing a change that would align the congressional special election with the state’s already scheduled June 24 primary election for some local government positions, WCNY’s The Capitol Pressroom first reported. 

A spokesperson for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul told the outlet she “believes it’s critical to increase voter turnout and reduce the cost of election administration and she would support legislation that achieves that goal.”

Mr. Johnson had a different take, calling it “corruption on open display.” 

“Instead of addressing the needs of New York, crime and the immigration crisis and the cost of living and anti-semitism on campuses, they’re going to try to disenfranchise over 750,000 New Yorkers who live in that 21st district,” he said. “It’s unconscionable.”

Ms. Stefanik’s resignation will temporarily drop House Republicans down to 217 seats, meaning they won’t be able to afford any defections on party-line votes, because Democrats have 215 members. 

Her vacancy would be the third this Congress. Florida Republican Matt Gaetz never took the oath of office after failing to earn support for his nomination as attorney general, and Michael Waltz, Florida Republican, resigned last month to become Mr. Trump’s national security advisor.

• Lindsey McPherson can be reached at lmcpherson@washingtontimes.com.