Rep. Elise Stefanik, who recently became the third highest-ranking member of the House GOP caucus, is welcoming a third member into her family.
Stefanik, 36, announced on Twitter that she and her husband, Matthew Manda, are expecting their first child this fall.
“We are absolutely overjoyed to announce that our small family of 2 will soon be 3! … Thank you for the warm wishes from so many. We are truly blessed,” she wrote.
We are absolutely overjoyed to announce that our small family of 2 will soon be 3! We’re excited to share that we are expecting a baby this fall & we cannot wait to meet our precious bundle of joy. Thank you for the warm wishes from so many. We are truly blessed. -Elise & Matt ? pic.twitter.com/w75evFdomw
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) June 5, 2021
The New York Republican made headlines last month when the House GOP voted for her to replace Rep. Liz Cheney, a frequent critic of former President Donald Trump, in the conference’s leadership. Stefanik, a vocal ally of the former president, stitched together a broad coalition, winning support from a broad array of Republicans who vowed to support her as the party heads into the 2022 midterm elections.
“We’re all united, and Elise is our chair. Now we’re going to get busy, pointing out how the Democratic Party is destroying America,” Texas Rep. Chip Roy, who mounted a last-minute challenge to Stefanik and circulated a memo opposing her, said.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS UNITE AROUND NEW NO. 3 STEFANIK — FOR NOW
Despite support from many high-profile Republicans, Stefanik was opposed by some of the more conservative members in the party who criticized her voting record. In his letter voicing opposition to Stefanik, Roy said that the congresswoman’s voting record “embodies much of what led to the 2018 a**-kicking we received by Democrats.”
Several conservative organizations have given Stefanik a lower rating on key votes than they did for Cheney. The Club for Growth gave Stefanik a 35% lifetime rating, compared to 65% for Cheney; with FreedomWorks, Stefanik was at 37% and Cheney at 53%. FiveThirtyEight’s voting record tracker found that Cheney voted with Trump’s preference 93% of the time, compared to 78% for Stefanik. Her vote against the party’s signature tax cut legislation in particular earned her ire from some within the party.
Cheney was ousted as the chairwoman of the House Republican Conference on May 12 due to blowback for her frequent comments against Trump. Wyoming’s at-large representative was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump on the charge of incitement of insurrection in connection to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, although the Senate later acquitted him. Trump was previously impeached in the House on two Ukraine-related charges in 2019 before being acquitted in the Senate.
Despite condemnation from most of the GOP, Cheney received support from some corners within the GOP. Sen. Mitt Romney, former Sen. Jeff Flake, and Rep. Adam Kinzinger were among those who criticized her removal, arguing that she was being penalized for speaking the truth about the former president. Cheney even received a standing ovation following the vote to strip her of her leadership position, though Rep. Ken Buck noted that appeared to be more a sign of “respect for her service” rather than support for her anti-Trump position.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Trump and Cheney have clashed for months, with Cheney saying Trump was no longer the leader of the GOP and refusing to back a potential 2024 presidential bid and Trump vowing to endorse a primary challenger ahead of her 2022 reelection campaign.
The infighting with Trump (who enjoys enduring popularity within the GOP) notwithstanding, Cheney’s office raised over $1.5 million in the first quarter of 2021, a record for the senior Republican.
