Elise Stefanik Defeats Chip Roy to Replace Liz Cheney as #3 in Republican Congressional Leadership

Via Suhil Kapur:

Stefanik - 134 Roy - 46 Foxx - 1 Jordan - 1 CMR - 1 Present - 9

Trump made his preference clear yesterday:

"Can't imagine Republican House Members would go with Chip Roy--he has not done a great job, and will probably be successfully primaried in his own district," Trump said in a press release. "I support Elise, by far, over Chip!"

So, why did Trump endorse the moderate/liberalish Stefanik over the conservative Chip Roy?

I actually have some original reporting. I am reliably informed that a big obstacle to replacing Liz Cheney the last time they had a vote on this was that no one stepped up to the plate and offered to run to replace her.

You can't beat something with nothing, so Cheney survived the first vote to expel her partly due to simple lack of anyone willing to take the job from her.

Stefanik earned respect for having offered herself up as a replacement for Cheney this time, and in so doing, made it much easier to oust Cheney.

⁨Trump had particular reason to favor Stefanik over Roy because on January 6th, when some voted to object to the electoral college count and some didn't, Stefanik was one of those objecting, and Roy was one of those opposed to the motion to object.

Chip Roy was better on the issues, if you're a conservative. However, he is regarded as being inflexible on his ideology. Which is good in a Congressman, but not necessarily good in a congressional leader, who has to deliver and enforce the consensus caucus opinion, regardless of his personal opinion.

Stefanik is also seen as better at fundraising for other congressmen.

I'm also told that Trump decided to more forcefully endorse Stefanik -- and call Roy weak -- because allies of Roy were talking up the idea that Trump might endorse him over Stefanik. Trump put an end to that chatter.

Despite Stefanik being generally more moderate than Roy, she has shown she can take positions which are extremely unpopular -- toxic even -- to our Ruling Class. Most of the "toxic" positions she's taken have been in support of Trump or his agenda, but that doesn't mean she can't take them in other cases.

She might not be as bad a choice, as far as conservative issues, as people fear. Certainly she has demonstrated repeatedly that she has the one trait that is absolutely necessary in a leader -- the balls to tell the Ruling Class Establishment to go fuck itself blind.

I rate this as glass half full.

posted by Ace at 12:12 PM

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