J. Scott Applewhite
The 36-year-old was elected in a closed session in Washington on Friday by the Republican MPs in the House of Representatives, as group leader Kevin McCarthy announced. Stefanik succeeds the prominent Trump critic Liz Cheney, who was voted out of office by the parliamentary group on Wednesday under pressure from the ex-president.
Stefanik announced after the election that the Republicans in the House of Representatives were united in the fight to save the United States from the “radical socialist” plans of President Joe Biden’s Democrats. She also expressly thanked Trump and described him as a “crucial part of our Republican team”. The ex-president, who now lives in Florida, is the leader of the party in the eyes of voters.
As Chair of the Republican Conference in the House of Representatives, Stefanik is now the third highest MP in her group. Trump hailed her election as a sign of Republican unity. The ex-president had expressed his support to Stefanik. The New York MP has become one of his most loyal supporters. McCarthy also supported them.
Cheney, 54, had branded the ex-president’s allegations about alleged election fraud last year as a “lie”. She accuses Trump of running a “crusade” to undermine democracy. Cheney has announced that it will continue to fight against its dominance in the party. She calls for a return to traditional conservative Republican values.
Cheney continues to serve as a MP. Trump has already announced that he will support intra-party competition for the seat in the state of Wyoming. Cheney said after being voted out of the group leadership on Thursday: “I will do everything I can to ensure that the former president never comes anywhere near the Oval Office again.” Trump has so far left it open whether he wants to run for president again in 2024 after his loss to Biden in November.
Published: May 14th, 2021, 6:30 p.m.
Last updated: May 14, 2021, 6:30 p.m.