Look at the congressional leadership in Washington and try not to find a New Yorker. It's tough.
There's Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democratic House Conference Chair Hakeem Jeffries. Rep. Jerry Nadler leads the powerful Judiciary Committee. Rep. John Katko is the top Republican on the Homeland Security committee, and would be handed the chairman's gavel if Republicans win majority control. And now Rep. Elise Stefanik is set to become the new Republican conference chair, putting her third in the GOP leadership in the House.
A lawmaker's influence in Washington can often translate into tangible benefits for their district, making the leadership post a potential boon for the 21st Congressional District Stefanik represents. The sprawling district comprises the entire North Country region of New York, the Adirondack Park, lumber, manufacturing, state prisons and Fort Drum.
The military base already makes the 21st District a focus for federal policy and funding, but the rural nature of the seat continues to present challenges. New Yorkers who live there are in continual need of better access to health care networks and infrastructure challenged by heavy snow, the area is aging and has seen its population stagnate for much of the last decade.
Stefanik's rise in the leadership mirrors the last Republican lawmaker to go from backbencher to leader after Rep. John McHugh became the top GOP lawmaker on the House Armed Services Committee. He would later be tapped by President Obama to become the secretary of the Army.
"Having your member of Congress be part of leadership is very advantageous, irrespective of party, because your representative can better secure federal resources for the district and steer policy priorities toward addressing local priorities," said Luke Perry, a political science professor at Utica College.
Stefanik is replacing Rep. Liz Cheney, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, as Republicans seek a way forward following the 2020 elections. Cheney voted to impeach Trump in January following a riot at the U.S. Capitol she blamed the former president for inciting.
"In this case, Rep. Stefanik's elevation to leadership is not without controversy; however, given how Stefanik embraced Donald Trump's conspiracy theories regarding the 2020 election being fraudulent whereas Liz Cheney would not," Perry said. "This is unlikely to hurt Stefanik in her reelection bid, given the North Country is the most conservative part of New York State, though will likely not age well, and quickly erodes the moderate-Republican persona Stefanik has built during her tenure in the House."
Still, Stefanik has become more secure in her seat since taking office in 2015. The district was once considered a battleground, with national money and attention pouring into the area, but her margins of victory have grown over the last several election cycles.
This has enabled her to steer money toward Republican women running elsewhere in the country, building a network of allies along the way.
House Republican leaders have argued Cheney's criticism of Trump created disharmony within the leadership, complicating their bid to regain the majority in 2022. Stefanik, though she has a more moderate voting record over the course of her tenure than Cheney, presents the party with a more unified front.
“Elise is an operator. She’s not after fancy titles for the sake of it, and as conference chair, I’m confident she will be able to leverage Washington for the benefit of New York, and especially the North Country," said New York City Councilman Joe Borelli, a Republican who co-led Trump's re-election bid in New York alongside Stefanik. "She is a a hard campaigner, and having her in leadership means more Republicans will be elected in 2022, and likely take back the house.”