Republican Representative Elise Stefanik, representing upstate New York, and speculated as a potential vice presidential candidate for Donald Trump, expressed on Thursday that she would not have certified the votes on January 6 if she were in the position of Vice President Mike Pence.
Stefanik conveyed her disagreement with Pence’s approach, stating to CNN’s Kaitlan Collin, “I don’t think that was the right approach. I think it is very important that we continue to stand up for the constitution and have legal and secure elections, which we did not have in 2020.”
The 39-year-old congresswoman has gained prominence within the Republican Party, particularly among its more conservative factions, due to her outspoken support for Trump.
Elise Stefanik (Credits: The Hill)
She has consistently denied the results of the 2020 election and has been notable for grilling leaders of prestigious universities on the issue of antisemitism on college campuses.
Alongside Rep. Matt Gaetz, another vocal Trump loyalist, Stefanik introduced a resolution earlier this week declaring that Trump “did not engage in insurrection or rebellion against the United States.”
During an interview, Stefanik expressed her willingness to serve in a future Trump administration, stating, “I’d be honored to serve in a future Trump administration in any way, but I’m focused on making sure that we are supporting him, to making sure he’s in the strongest position to win this November.”
This statement was made at a rally in New Hampshire last month. The interview with Stefanik underscores the persistent false claims within the Republican Party regarding the alleged rigging of the 2020 election, a belief that continues to be widely held among many Republican voters.
A January USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll revealed that 52% of Trump supporters lacked confidence that the 2024 elections would be accurately counted and reported. In contrast, 81% of Biden supporters expressed “very confident” sentiments about the accuracy of this year’s election returns.
