House majority concerns prompt White House to withdraw Stefanik nomination

Mar 27

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Karah Rucker Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Reporter)

The White House withdrew Rep. Elise Stefanik’s U.N. ambassador nomination to preserve her vote in the closely divided House. It’s unclear who will replace her for the role.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch confirmed the decision, which followed concerns from House Republicans about losing a key vote.
Political dynamics in New York and Republican concerns about upcoming special elections reportedly contributed to the decision to keep Stefanik in the House.

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The White House has withdrawn Rep. Elise Stefanik’s, R-N.Y., nomination to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The White House emphasized the importance of her vote in the House to advance President Donald Trump’s agenda.

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Senate committee notified by White House

On Thursday, March 27, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, R-Idaho, confirmed the decision.

“I got a call from the White House,” Risch said after leaving a Senate Republican luncheon. He stated that he was told “they were pulling the nomination.”

“I was informed just minutes ago,” he added, noting that he had not yet had a chance to formulate a response.

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President Trump confirmed the announcement in a Truth Social post Thursday afternoon.

As we advance our America First Agenda, it is essential that we maintain EVERY Republican Seat in Congress. We must be unified to accomplish our Mission, and Elise Stefanik has been a vital part of our efforts from the very beginning. I have asked Elise, as one of my biggest Allies, to remain in Congress to help me deliver Historic Tax Cuts, GREAT Jobs, Record Economic Growth, a Secure Border, Energy Dominance, Peace Through Strength, and much more, so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat.
President Trump’s Truth Social post

Concerns over House majority without Stefanik

House Republicans told several outlets that confirming Stefanik would complicate efforts to pass Trump’s agenda in the House.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., would have lost a crucial vote in the closely divided House, and uncertainty remained over how long New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul would take to schedule a special election to fill the seat.

Stefanik was under pressure to withdraw from consideration despite bipartisan support for her confirmation, CBS News first reported. According to its sources, Fox News Digital also indicated that internal political dynamics in Stefanik’s home district played a role in the decision.

Other challenging races for GOP

New York’s primary structure and Republican divisions over selecting a candidate to replace Stefanik fueled some reported concerns about a potential special election, according to Fox News’ anonymous sources.

Republicans in Washington, holding a slim majority, are navigating challenges in other races as well.

In Florida, Randy Fine, the GOP candidate, is trailing his Democratic opponent in fundraising ahead of the April 1 special election for a Republican-leaning seat.

Additionally, some Republicans worry that Hochul could delay a special election for Stefanik’s seat, leaving it vacant for an extended period if she joined the Trump administration.

It is unclear at this time who Trump’s pick for U.N. ambassador nomination will be with Stefanik out.