PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (WCAX) – North Country Congresswoman Elise Stefanik says she will wait and see before committing to certifying the results from the upcoming 2024 election. She made the remarks over the weekend in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Stefanik says she wants to see if the election will be legal and valid, and made mention of recent court challenges to remove former president Donald Trump from the primary ballot.
She also referred to suspects in the Jan. 6 insurrection as hostages.
“I condemn the violence just like I condemn the violence of the BLM riots. But I also importantly stood for election integrity and security of our elections,” said Stefanik, R-New York. “The real threat to our democracy is these baseless witch hunt investigations and lawsuits against President Trump. Whether it’s Tish James or whether we see the D.C. Circuit Court, and that is undemocratic and it’s shredding our Constitution and you know who agrees with me Kristen? The American people.”
Harvey Schantz, a political analyst at SUNY Plattsburgh, says Stefanik’s remarks aren’t a surprise due to the area she represents. Trump and Stefanik both won big in the North Country, with the latter securing 59% of the vote in the last election.
“Given that she is a leader in the Congressional Republican Party and that she is a supporter of Donald Trump and that this is a Donald Trump voting congressional district, her answers were explainable in that way,” Schantz said.
He also says it’s likely Stefanik is vying for a seat in a potential second Trump administration.
Stefanik is also up for reelection this November.
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