Yahoo by Chris McKenna 5/31/2022
Rep. Elise Stefanik, the Republican congresswoman for New York's North Country and an ascendant star in her party, is on a fundraising tear with her increasingly close ally from Mar-a-Lago.
Stefanik and former President Donald Trump are set to hold their latest fundraiser together at his country club in Westchester County next week, a gathering at which guests are invited to pony up $25,000 for a "roundtable discussion" with the pair and a photo with the ex-president. It is reportedly their fourth joint fundraiser since a gathering at his Florida estate in January.
The 37-year-old congresswoman emerged as a forceful Trump defender during his first impeachment proceedings in 2019 and has risen in the party ever since. She was elected chairwoman of the House Republican conference last year and is now rumored to be a potential running mate for Trump if he runs again for president in 2024.
It has been a rapid climb for Stefanik, an Albany-area native who won New York's 21st Congressional District seat at age 30 and evolved from a Harvard-educated moderate to a staunch Trump supporter who proudly wears the "ultra-MAGA" label.
"Whether you're a fan of Elise Stefanik or not, it's impossible not to acknowledge that she's a pretty good card player," said William F. B. O'Reilly, a Republican consultant and commentator from Westchester County who has been critical of Trump's hold on the party.
"It's no surprise that she's being talked about as a potential Trump running mate. She spotted the populist lane long before many did and drove ahead full speed into it."
Stefanik's office declined to comment on her relationship with Trump and the vice-presidential speculation, saying Stefanik was concentrating on her district and conference leadership.
More:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/rep-elise-stefanik-went-gop-090249399.html
