Stefanik gets GOP nod for NY21 seat

Elise Stefanik. Image: Campaign website

Elise Stefanik, in a still from a 2013 campaign video. Image: Campaign website

In an unsurprising move, the Republican chairs in New York’s 21st Congressional District have endorsed Elise Stefanik in her run for the seat Bill Owens will be vacating (h/t @JimmyVielkind on Twitter). Stefanik is a former Republican White House aide who moved to Willsboro in Essex County last year to run against Democrat Bill Owens in the upcoming election. Owens announced last month he won’t be running again.

Still no certain Democratic candidate as of yet to replace Owens, as New York State Assemblywoman Addie Russell now definitely isn’t running; other potentials Randy Douglas and Scott Murphy also got out of the race this week. An endorsement is expected in the next week or so.

Here’s the press release from Stefanik’s campaign (appended to original post, 2:17):

Willsboro, NY – Elise Stefanik’s campaign to represent New York’s 21st Congressional District received the overwhelming endorsement by North Country GOP county committee Chairs today during a full-committee endorsement meeting, sending a strong and significant signal that support for Elise as the strongest candidate in 2014 is united. The endorsement by the GOP county Chairs marks the end of the month-long endorsement process during which candidates were invited to speak in front of each county’s Republican committee and answer questions from committee members. The North Country Chairs endorsed Stefanik with more than 87 percent of the total county committee weighted vote.

“I’m humbled by the endorsement today by the North Country GOP Chairs. It shows our campaign’s message to bring new ideas and new leadership to Washington is resonating throughout Upstate,” Stefanik stated. “But we’re just getting started – I will continue working as hard as I ever have to earn the support of Republicans, Conservatives and Independents across the district to win this seat back. I thank the county Chairs for the time and energy they’ve given during this process, and I thank the hundreds of county committee members who attended endorsement meetings during January to hear from the candidates.”

New York’s 21st Congressional District includes Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Warren and Washington counties, as well as portions of Herkimer and Saratoga counties.

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29 Comments on “Stefanik gets GOP nod for NY21 seat”

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  1. How long until the rigging is complete and the other GOP candidates withdraw (“of their own volition”, of course… *wink*)

  2. Michael Greer says:

    So, if we’re going to have to listen, or read about this woman…could we find a picture of her in which she is not making this half-drunk, half-smile???

  3. Pete Klein says:

    I guess the Republicans think the can win over some Democrats by offering a woman as a candidate.

  4. The Original Larry says:

    “So, if we’re going to have to listen, or read about this woman…could we find a picture of her in which she is not making this half-drunk, half-smile??”

    What, and have NCPR make a Republican look good?

  5. OL: If you want a media outlet who sees it as its job to distort reality to make a Republican look good, there are plenty of other media outlets for your echo chamber. Most paying members of NCPR would prefer it continue the objectivity that’s served it (and us) so well all these years.

  6. The Original Larry says:

    Objectivity? Hardly. Continuing to use photos that make people look bad isn’t objective.

  7. The Original Larry says:

    Strange that the Post Star and Denton Publications managed to find a photo that doesn’t leave her looking ridiculous. Brian, you need to develop a better understanding of objectivity.

  8. knuckleheadedliberal says:

    If that is what looking bad is then most of us are butt ugly.

  9. Walker says:

    According to the photo credit, it’s from her campaign website. Guess she or her people think it’s a good photo.

  10. Walker says:

    It’s apparently cropped from a frame grab from the first few seconds of this video on her campaign site.

  11. Wait, so NCPR uses a (completely inocuous, mind you) photo TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM THE CANDIDATE’S WEBSITE and that’s supposed to illustrate bias AGAINST that candidate?

    My head hurts trying to ponder nonsense like this.

  12. OL’s comments shows just how far ideologues will reach to contrive “bias” out of absolutely nothing. Unfortunately, they only convince other ideologues… who don’t need convincing anyway.

  13. The Original Larry says:

    Brian,
    Take a couple of aspirin and calm down. You know very well what’s going on here and ideology has nothing to do with it. That picture is a frame capture from a video. Why not use the one the Post Star used, also found on the candidates web site? It’s not a big deal, but it’s a cheap trick all the same.

  14. Walker says:

    So Larry, you have not the slightest doubt that NCPR bent over backwards to find an unflattering image from the candidate’s website?

    You don’t think that’s just a tiny bit paranoid?

  15. knuckleheadedliberal says:

    Larry, seriously, she looks fine. Her hair is brushed, her eyes are bright, nice teeth, good skin, wearing pearls and a flag in the background. What more could you want? Her own website cropped her head and printed words all over her face. Forget about the snarky comment. Sometimes snarky comments are just snarky comments.

    Of course, if you want to analyze the photo in terms of message/propaganda we could talk about the flag in the background and the wearing of pearls. That sort of stuff is calculated to send a message. Pearls are so very June Cleaver, hearkening to the golden age for conservatives, and the flag is, well, The Flag.

    Now, if you want to look at some really dopey looking pictures take a look at some of the Democrats in Posts on this blog. Scott Murphy looks like a dope!

  16. The Original Larry says:

    I made a somewhat light-hearted response to Michael Greer’s comment, but it was Brian MOFYC who went all serious on us. If I have to listen to that kind if crap I’m going to respond and I will continue to do so, if only to know that I set Brian MOFYC’s teeth on edge every time I do. The guy needs to stop reaching so far for reasons to attack me. Don’t I give him enough legit opportunities?

  17. Spew grasping at straws nonsense to paint a portrait of imaginary bias and then invoke a martyr complex when someone calls you on it. How tiresome.

  18. mervel says:

    What does this candidate know about the North Country? I just have a hard time with this given our many needs and our dependence on government spending. I am relatively conservative but this is a unique area and I would want someone who is not just a careerist but someone who actually is from here and cares about the area.

  19. Facts often have a way of interrupting conspiracy fantasies. For all the bleating about NCPR’s mythical bias against Stefanik, today they essentially declared her the GOP nominee*. They did so solely based on the grand pooh-bahs’ fiats and months before GOP voters are even asked what they think.

    (*-an 8 O’Clock Hour host stated, “Republicans appear to have settled on Elise Stefanik…”)

  20. The Original Larry says:

    What do you care who the Republicans select as their nominee? Go ahead, here’s your daily opportunity.

  21. Karen says:

    No one has any idea where she stands on the issues. She worked for Paul Ryan, which means she is for cutting veteran pensions and anti-US worker? Her website is so vague. Just because she is a woman doesn’t mean she doesn’t have to answer questions. She is getting pushed by elites in DC, so you might want to ask why?

  22. mervel says:

    Wow I take back what I said about Stefinik, I can’t believe the Democrats picked this City filmaker to run up here. What is the thinking??? Stefinik is a North Country insider compared to this guy!

    I will be voting for her if that is this is the option.

  23. mervel says:

    Essentially this whole thing is very sad and pathetic for the North Country, not one single candidate from the District is running (well Hassig…..), but I don’t understand how this could happen?

  24. The Original Larry says:

    “She worked for Paul Ryan, which means she is for cutting veteran pensions and anti-US worker?”

    That’s a great example of the liberal approach to objectivity and truth: repeat the same crap over and over until the uninformed believe it to be the truth. Ryan’s “cutting veterans pensions” turns out to be a proposal to reduce COI increases by one percent for retirees under the age of 62 beginning in 2016. But hey, no big deal, after all, she ‘s a Republican and she worked for Bush and Ryan and we just can’t have that, now can we?

  25. wakeup says:

    (In the Count’s voice) 1, 2…2 carpetbaggers ah ah

  26. Karen says:

    Why is Paul Ryan’s first impulse to cut veteran pensions? He didn’t cut any defense programs, he didn’t cut his salary or his staff. He voted twice for war and didn’t pay for them. He now wants to go back on promises made by congress. Who else got something taken away from them beside veterans? Aren’t veterans allowed to advocate against his positions? He endorse Elise Stefanik. She worked for him. She has not spoken out on behalf of veterans while her boss has insulted veterans on several occasions.

    Did he say we should cut firefighters and police pensions who retire after 20 years? Why not cut his salary to $50,000? Why not cut his staff down to 1?

    Weird, Paul Ryan got paid the entire time he was running for VP. He spent $500 million on a losing campaign. He is soooo fiscally conservative.

  27. Karen says:

    I hope the republicans win congress, just the ones who have honor.

  28. knuckleheadedliberal says:

    mervel, why don’t you run?

  29. mervel says:

    Ha, yeah.

    But there has to be some reason that we can’t get any candidates from the area? I wonder if redistricting is in the bag and they all know this district is going away anyway?

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