Elise Stefanik is a U.S. Representative for New York’s 21st Congressional District and the chair of the House Republican Conference, a position she has held since May 2021. As the fourth-ranking Republican in the House, Stefanik represents a district that spans the North Country, the Adirondack Mountains, and parts of the Capital District. Elected to Congress in 2014, she made history as the youngest woman ever elected to the House at 30 years old and is the first woman to hold her current seat.
Born and raised in Upstate New York, Stefanik grew up in a small business family, which instilled in her the values of hard work and determination. She was the first in her family to earn a college degree, graduating with Honors from Harvard University in 2006. Before entering Congress, Stefanik served in the White House under President George W. Bush, where she worked on economic and domestic policy as part of the Domestic Policy Council and the Chief of Staff’s office.
Stefanik initially positioned herself as a moderate conservative, but her alignment with former President Donald Trump marked a significant shift to the right. She vigorously opposed Trump’s first impeachment in 2019 and supported his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. Her role in these controversies included questioning the responsibility of Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
In December 2023, Stefanik drew national attention with her intense questioning of university presidents on antisemitism, which contributed to the resignation of Liz Magill, the president of the University of Pennsylvania. Stefanik is married to Matthew Manda, and they live in Schuylerville, New York, with their son, Samuel, born in 2021.
