All posts tagged "elise stefanik"

'Scuttlebutt' suggests Mike Johnson is about to lose House majority: MS Now analyst

Rumors have surfaced that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is anticipated to lose the GOP's House majority, an MS Now analyst reported Wednesday.

After the unexpected death of Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) and serious car crash involving Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN), who was hospitalized and expected to recover — but will not be available for upcoming votes — the Republican majority is hanging in the balance, according to Steve Benen, producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show."

"LaMalfa’s death leaves House Speaker Mike Johnson with a 218-member conference — in a chamber where 218 is the bare minimum for a majority," Benen explained.

Even President Donald Trump is worried. He addressed the Republican party over concerns about losing the narrow majority Tuesday, also telling GOP lawmakers his prediction that he could be impeached if they lose the midterms in November.

But that's not the only concern among Republicans. After Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's (R-GA) resignation Monday, plus Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) often voting against his party's initiatives, other murmurs of exits have surfaced.

"What’s more, conditions for the majority party are likely to get worse before they get better, Benen wrote. "While Greene and LaMalfa are likely to be replaced by Republicans, the special elections to fill their vacancies are still months away. On the other hand, later this month, voters will replace the late Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner in one of Texas’ bluest districts, increasing the Democratic conference to 214 members and narrowing the House GOP’s advantage even more."

The stakes have become higher for the GOP now more than ever. And for Johnson, this could present even more challenges.

"Hanging overhead, meanwhile, is recent scuttlebutt that other current House Republicans, including New York’s Elise Stefanik and South Carolina’s Nancy Mace, are weighing possible resignations before their terms end," according to Benen.

"By any fair measure, 2025 was exceedingly difficult for Johnson and his fellow House GOP leaders. There are fresh reasons to believe 2026 will be worse."

'He offends everyone': Republicans reportedly begin talks to 'oust Mike Johnson'

Republicans have quietly started to talk about removing House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), according to a report.

Johnson has been criticized by fellow Republicans and rival Democrats in recent weeks — and now the GOP majority has shown signs it's unhappy with him, The Atlantic reported Tuesday.

"Johnson’s own members, in the past month, have accused him of stretching if not wholly disregarding the truth, and his assertion last Wednesday that he has a firm grip on power was correct only in the most technical sense," according to The Atlantic.

"On the day he uttered it, a group of Johnson’s most electorally vulnerable soldiers abandoned him to help Democrats force a vote on extending health-care subsidies, and a longtime lawmaker became the 25th House Republican — with many more expected to follow — to announce that he would not seek reelection next year.

"Republican lawmakers risk losing their majority in Congress, while more GOP leaders are expected to leave or retire. Those reasons for leaving span beyond Johnson, yet his "unwavering loyalty — some would say obsequiousness — to Trump has defined his speakership."

One House Republican, who was unnamed, told The Atlantic that Johnson has been well-meaning, but that has caused problems.

“I think he’s a good man, a good attorney, a good constitutionalist, and a bad politician,” the Republican told The Atlantic.

Another unnamed GOP lawmaker echoed that sentiment.

“In his obsession with not offending anyone, he offends everyone,” another Republican said.

It's unclear if Johnson will hold onto his job in 2026. Before announcing her departure from Congress, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) denounced Johnson's leadership publicly. Other Republicans have disapproved of him.

"Whether the speaker’s job is secure has become a topic of some debate inside the Capitol. The most obvious threat will come in the November elections, but could Republicans depose Johnson as they did his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy?" The Atlantic reported.

"Stefanik told The Wall Street Journal earlier this month that if a vote were called tomorrow, Johnson would not have enough support from Republicans to stay as speaker. [Marjorie Taylor] Greene has also reportedly been talking with colleagues about an effort to oust Johnson, but she plans to leave the House next month."

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) was asked if he was ready to see new leadership, and told The Atlantic this:

"'Yeah, but I mean, look, it’s not coming up,' he said. 'You never know in this town.' With Johnson’s support, Republicans changed House rules to make it harder to remove a speaker in the middle of a term. 'Usually there are tremors before a speaker goes down,' one House Republican told us, 'and this speaker has faced a number of tremors.'"

'He blew it up in minutes': Trump has 'complicated' GOP rep campaign after Mamdani meeting

Donald Trump may have complicated the campaign trail for a GOP hopeful by meeting with Zohran Mamdani, according to a political commentator.

The president would call the New York City mayor elect a "really good" candidate for the job, with a flood of compliments from Trump surprising political commentators. Nick Reisman, writing in Politico, believes the impression Mamdani made on the president, and Trump's subsequent comments, puts the gubernational bid of Elise Stefanik at risk.

Rep. Stefanik is building her campaign against Governor Kathy Hochul but Reisman believes Trump has blown Stefanik's chances out of the water by heaping praise onto Mamdani.

Stefanik had made it clear where she stands on Mamdani, telling News 12 earlier today, "He is a jihadist. This is an area where President Trump and I disagree. But what we all want to work toward is making New York more affordable and safe, and that’s where I have a very strong record and working relationship with the administration."

The hard line against Mamdani in Stefanik's campaign has collapsed according to Reisman, who wrote, "The New York Republican is mounting an uphill gubernatorial bid in a deep blue state, building her campaign on the argument that Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul is the nation’s worst chief executive — and tying Hochul to the 34-year-old democratic socialist who will soon lead New York City. Trump blew up that message in minutes."

"In the Oval Office, he said he wouldn’t worry about living in New York under Mamdani, noted how many voters they share and even complimented the mayor-elect’s looks. And in a rare bit of daylight with Stefanik, he declined to repeat her claim that Mamdani is 'a jihadist.'"

Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel noted the striking impression Mamdani had left on the president, suggesting Trump may even prefer the 34-year-old democratic socialist to JD Vance.

Kimmel said, "Trump now looks over in the corner, he sees JD Vance. All sweaty and eager. Looks away, he sees Stephen Miller, sucking on his pinkies and he looks around at all these weird, unattractive, AI-generated human vomits in his office and is like, 'Why can't I have this Mamdani around?'"

Mamdani would say of his meeting with Trump, "It was a productive meeting focused on a shared admiration and love which is New York City, and the need to deliver affordability to New Yorkers, the 8.5 million people who call our city their home, who are struggling to afford life in the most expensive city in the United States of America."

'Complete disaster': MAGA rages after Trump delivers 'devastating blow' to ally's campaign

The political world erupted Friday after President Donald Trump publicly rejected GOP claims that New York mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani is a “jihadist” – a moment that immediately blew up Rep. Elise Stefanik’s central campaign message in the New York governor’s race.

And Washington insiders, journalists, and even Stefanik herself quickly chimed in online, as the New York Republican doubled down on her claim just minutes after the Oval Office exchange went viral.

"We all want NYC to succeed,” Stefanik wrote Friday on X. “But we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one. If he walks like a jihadist If he talks like a jihadist If he campaigns like a jihadist If he supports jihadists, He’s a jihadist. And he’s @KathyHochul’s jihadist.”

MAGA influencer Laura Loomer rushed to Stefanik's defense, warning her X followers: "We should mind. The word fascist is what got Charlie Kirk assassinated while he was surrounded by a table full of hats that said '47.'" She added: "What is @EliseStefanik going to campaign on now during her NY Gubernatorial campaign since @ZohranKMamdani’s policies have been signed off as comfy by the GOP? Are you still running for Governor, Elise? Dems just need to run clips of the presser today to defeat Elise…"

Noah Rothman, a senior writer at the conservative National Review, wrote on X: “Remember when Rs were gonna use Mamdani as the archetypical socialist foil ahead of the midterms?”

But the reaction from across social media was brutal.

“RIP to Elise Stefanik's favorite talking point,” Kevin Donohoe, a communications official with the Democratic Governors Association, wrote in a social media post.

Sarafina Chitika, communications director for Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, piled on: “Apparently, we've found the literal ONE thing Donald Trump and @EliseStefanik disagree on... ...and it's her entire reason for running for governor,” she told her X followers. “Hard to overstate what a devastating blow this is to Stefanik's campaign.”

Mark McDevitt, chief of staff to Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA), wrote: “The only loser from that oval office press conference was Elise Stefanik and that is a beautiful thing.”

“Trump just ended Elise Stefanik,” former federal prosecutor Ron Filipkowski wrote on X. “I so wish I could see her face right now. (First time I’ve ever said that).”

New Yorker Matt Castelli, a business executive and former CIA counterterrorism official, made clear how he thought the moment landed.

“This presser is a complete disaster for Elise Stefanik’s campaign of fear-mongering about Mamdani. She’s going to have to find a new boogeyman,” he wrote. Castelli followed up with: “Elise Stefanik spent nearly a decade selling her soul to Trump only for him to dump her as UN Ambassador and end her campaign for governor.”

Democratic commentator Kaivan Shroff summed it up with his own post: “The biggest loser of the Trump-Mamdani meeting is Elise Stefanik. And boy does she deserve it.”

We all want NYC to succeed.

But we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one.

If he walks like a jihadist
If he talks like a jihadist
If he campaigns like a jihadist
If he supports jihadists,

He’s a jihadist.

And he’s @KathyHochul’s jihadist. pic.twitter.com/JZaM29d82R
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) November 21, 2025

'Bring it on': MAGA ally Elise Stefanik's bid for NY governor met with mocking reception

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), one of GOP House leadership's most dedicated MAGA loyalists, announced her bid for governor of New York this week — but not a lot of Democrats and anti-Trump figures reacted to the news with particular fear.

"Kathy Hochul is the Worst Governor in America," Stefanik posted in her announcement on X. "Under her failed leadership, New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation with the highest taxes, highest energy, utilities, rent, and grocery bills. When New Yorkers were looking for leadership from our Governor, she bent the knee to the raging Defund the Police, Tax Hiking Communist causing catastrophe for New York families. I am running for Governor to make New York affordable and safe FOR ALL."

This announcement was met with derision from many of her opponents, including Hochul herself.

"Elise Stefanik is running to deliver New York for Donald Trump and raise your costs. Not on my watch," wrote Hochul. "My message to Trump’s 'top ally' — bring it on."

"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha," wrote conservative anti-Trump lawyer George Conway.

"Prediction; she will lose and I will laugh," wrote congressional staffer Aaron Fritschner.

"She wants to lose by an even bigger margin than the MAGA minions did in NJ and VA," wrote Latino Victory partnership director Ade Ferro. "Good for her. She’s really going for that record!"

"She is a proud masochist," wrote media strategist and author Todd Domke. "Her announcement should include: 'I have just begun to humiliate myself!'"

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha https://t.co/HHcvo9GDal
— George Conway 🇺🇸🚫👑🐸 (@gtconway3d) November 7, 2025

‘Pathetic’: Elise Stefanik hit with blistering rebuke on CNN over post-shooting smear

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) clapped back when confronted with comments by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) in the wake of the Manhattan mass shooting that claimed the lives of an NYPD police officer and four others.

Stefanik has said she intends to run for governor in the future, but was not ready to make an announcement quite yet.

CNN's Manu Raju read Stefanik's social media posts following the tragedy. She aimed at both Hochul and New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, calling him "Kathy Hochul’s very own Commie Mamdani" for participating in the 2020 "Defund the Police" campaign.

"We cannot allow radical anti-police dangerous policies to continue to make it less safe for families especially law enforcement officers in New York," Stefanik wrote.

"That's about as pathetic as it gets," said a disgusted Hochul. "I mean, seriously — going after an unelected official who said something back in 2020 when many people were — I mean, come on, give me a break.

"Ask her the question: What are you doing to make your constituents safe?" Hochul said, referring to Stefanik's support of President Donald Trump's Big Beautiful Bill.

"You don't mind taking away their health care. You don't mind education cuts. You don't mind nutrition cuts. You don't mind hurting your farmers. Like, why don't you have some spine and stand up for the people who put you in your spot? And so, that's what I'm looking for. People to not be deflecting. Stand up to the gun lobby and show that you have the courage to do something that's actually pretty useful, instead of just complaining about tweets."

When asked if she supported Mamdani, a democratic socialist who won the Democratic primary for mayor, Hochul deferred to the grieving families of those who were lost on Monday evening.

"I'm sorry, you know, we're not talking politics. This is not the time and place for it," Hochul said. "It's about action and showing compassion and empathy for people's lives who are forever destroyed. And a new baby on the way, who's never going to know the baby's father? I mean, this is what I'm thinking about today, not politics."

NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, 36, was killed in the mass shooting, leaving behind a wife, two children, and an unborn child.

Watch the clip below via CNN.

'She is a monster': GOP congresswoman slammed for 'glee' in hurting her own constituents

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., is under fire for her purported "glee" in cuts that will harm her constituents.

Stefanik on Saturday took to social media to celebrate the defunding of public radio stations, saying, "Goodbye NPR and NCPR!" NPCR is the local New York public affiliate in the congresswoman's district.

That comment led reporter Alex Gault to highlight some of his own earlier reporting.

"The NCPR general manager told me yesterday he found it disturbing how much glee the Congresswoman seems to be taking in the pain these cuts will cause in her own district," the reporter wrote before adding, "And one other thought. Some rescissions yes votes said they didn’t project the cuts would seriously damage NPR, PBS or local stations. Stefanik clearly likes that it will. I don’t think any other yes votes have openly targeted their local stations in the way she has with NCPR."

Gault also drew attention to his story containing the quote from the NCPR general manager.

“In addition to lying and misrepresenting NCPR’s work, it is extremely concerning that at a time when so many people across rural America are struggling to make ends meet, she would be celebrating the almost certain job losses that will be a result of these cuts,” he said, according to the news report. “Rural stations employ real people who make real contributions to their community. They shop at small businesses, have kids that attend local schools, and care about the future of their towns and villages. To hear an elected official celebrating the hardship that some people will face is disturbing, to say the least.”

Political scientist Norman Ornstein responded to the story with, "She is a monster."

Read the full article here (subscription required).

'Look at the facts!' Governor hits back as Republican hurls accusations

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) accused Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) of grandstanding during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on sanctuary policies for undocumented migrants.

During the contentious line of questioning Thursday, an aggressive Stefanik berated Hochul for "prioritizing far-left sanctuary policies" over advocating for victims of violent crimes at the hands of undocumented migrants.

Stefanik listed off "high-profile cases" involving migrants in the country illegally, and she detailed their alleged crimes that included child rape and murder.

"Let's talk about Sebastian Zapata Khalil. Do you know who that is?" Stefanik asked.

When Hochul said she didn't have specifics, Stefanik continued, "Well, this is an illegal migrant in New York because of your sanctuary state policies. Do you know what crime he committed?"

"I'm not familiar at this moment," Hochul answered.

"I bet you're going to be familiar when I remind you," Stefanik snapped. "He found a sleeping woman on the subway, lit her on fire, and burned her alive. This is in Kathy Hochul's New York."

Stefanik continued to list off names and crimes, saying, "It's one of many reasons why you're hemorrhaging support from hard-working New Yorkers."

Hochul interjected, "These are horrific crimes and they're heartbreaking," before Stefanik interrupted.

"They're horrific crimes that are committed on your watch," Stefanik said. "You signed this executive order on your first day in office. You signed it again and again this January. We deserve a governor who stands up for law-abiding New Yorkers, doesn't put illegals first, but puts New Yorkers first."

Hochul then struck back, asserting, "Rather than going after the viral moment, I suggest you look at the facts."

Stefanik repeated that Hochul was promoting "far-left sanctuary policies," while Hochul repeated, "We cooperate with ICE, we cooperate with law enforcement."

Watch the clip below via CBS News on YouTube.

'Choke point': MSNBC writer outlines path to halting the GOP agenda

Despite its Republican majority, the House of Representatives is "poised to be the biggest likely choke point" for Donald Trump's agenda, according to MSNBC opinion writer Hayes Brown.

Hayes wrote that, "House Republicans will have an extremely narrow margin to work with and a right flank that is more than willing to blow up deals."

This was exemplified Friday when Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) had to fight to retain his House Speakership after Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Keith Self (R-TX) opposed him — but were finally convinced to change their votes for Johnson. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) remained the sole hold-out, upset over Johnson's handling of the pre-holiday federal budget vote that finally passed with help from Democrats.

Regarding the narrow majority — Republicans won a 220-215 lead in the 2024 elections — the exit of the disgraced former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Trump's appointment of two more Republicans to Cabinet posts (Reps. Michael Waltz and Elise Stefanik) will shrink the majority even further.

ALSO READ: Revealed: The secret Republican plot to disenfranchise millions of voters

Hayes argued that Democrats need to stop playing nice with Republicans and hold fast to their values if they hope to retake the House in 2026.

"Should the GOP under Trump succeed in slashing the social safety net and otherwise destabilizing the American economy, the landscape will likely look much rosier for the opposition party. It’s important that Democrats’ fingerprints not be all over the scene of the crime of a crashed economy and other results of Trump’s autocratic impulses. An alternative vision and a refusal to cooperate with the party slashing needed programs would set the country on a path toward better policy.

"Standing firm against the majority and good policy outcomes don’t always align. But when they do, it’s an opportunity that can’t be passed up. Congressional Democrats need to be playing the long game, starting immediately. All of which, unfortunately, means that the time to start thinking about November 2026 is now, January 2025," Hayes wrote.

Read the full article here.

'Big risk': Trump's offer for U.S. Ambassador spot said to risk GOP House majority

Donald Trump has reportedly made a new job offer for his administration, but it's raising eyebrows among those who say it could risk the GOP's likely majority in the House.

It's expected that Republicans will control the House, but it's still possible that Democrats could take the lead and, even if the GOP prevails, it will be a tight majority.

According to Kaitlan Collins of CNN, that tight majority could be made even tighter with the former and incoming president's newest staffing decision.

ALSO READ: Ecstatic J6 offenders look forward to pardons from 'Daddy Trump' — and retribution

"President-elect Donald Trump has offered Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik the job as US ambassador to the United Nations, two sources familiar told CNN on Sunday," Collins wrote. "The New York congresswoman, the fourth-ranking House Republican, has been a strong ally of the president-elect and a major fundraiser for the GOP."

Philip Shea , a senior editor at Law360, responded to the news, saying, "With this slim of a (likely) GOP majority in the House? Interesting."

Oklahoma real estate developer Steven Watts said, "Seems like a big risk to have a special election in NY given how slim a majority the Republicans will have."

Elections commentator Ethan C7 chimed in:

"Special election incoming for NY-21 (~Trump+22 in 2024). Idk how long [New York Governor Kathy] Hochul can delay special elections for, but considering how narrow the GOP majority is (and the VERY outside shot Dems flip it in the special), wonder if Speaker Johnson tries killing her nomination," he added on Sunday.