Stefanik-endorsed candidates lost in 28 of the 36 battleground districts where she endorsed (78% loss rate); Read new America’s Voice analysis in full online here
Washington, DC – New analysis from America’s Voice, “Elise Stefanik: One of the Biggest Losers in the ‘22 Midterm Elections,” highlights the dismal midterm record of third-ranking House Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik in endorsing GOP candidates.
“Alongside her fellow nativists, Donald Trump and Stephen Miller, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) was one of the biggest losers in the 2022 midterm elections. While she easily won her safe seat in upstate New York, her attempt at playing king- or queen-maker failed miserably. In 28 of the 36 battleground Republican districts where she endorsed candidates, the Stefanik-endorsed candidates went down to defeat – that’s a 78% loss rate.
Many of the candidates Stefanik promoted also adopted the same deadly white nationalist “invasion” and “replacement” conspiracies on immigrants in their campaign message as she did. However, the candidates in the less ruby red districts who followed Stefanik down this extremist path did not find a win in the end.”
The analysis finds that in total, “Stefanik endorsed 56 candidates, including three incumbents she thought would lead the charge in a red wave to take control of the House. Her leadership PAC, known as Elevate PAC (E-PAC), embarked on an effort to increase the number of Republican women in the House, endorsing 31 women, while Stefanik herself endorsed an additional 25 candidates. Of these, 43, or over three-quarters of Stefanik’s endorsed candidates, lost. Thirty-six of the endorsed candidates were in battleground races rated lean D, toss-up or lean R by political forecasters. Of these 36 critical battleground races, 28 (77 percent) of Stefanik’s endorsed candidates lost. In races rated a toss-up, 20 of 23 of Stefanik’s candidates lost.”
Stefanik’s nativism is a political loser, out of step with the majority of the American people. As a new CNN poll finds, voters believe Republicans’ narrow majority will have “a harmful impact on immigration laws (32% positive, 41% negative).” While a massive sample of 22’ midterm voters found strong majorities supporting solutions and citizenship.
According to Yuna Oh, America’s Voice, Political Associate
“Rep. Elise Stefanik reinvented herself as a MAGA extremist who peddled dangerous white nationalist conspiracies. But this self-proclaimed ‘proud ultra-MAGA’ Republican leader embraced dozens of battleground candidates in 2022 where MAGA extremism – including white nationalism, nativism, and election denialism – failed to deliver and was more of a liability than an asset. The findings again call into question why the Republican Party wants to keep following the direction of candidates and leaders like Stefanik.
Every Republican House member will soon have to vote on her leadership bid, and in doing so they too will own her extremist baggage.”
