Elise Stefanik Takes the Reins at GOP Issues Retreat

Republican House members are praising Stefanik for a unified, anti-Biden message nearly one year after Liz Cheney’s ouster as conference chair.

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.—Leaders at last year’s House GOP issues retreat in Orlando, Florida, maintained publicly that the event’s message was unity. In reality, the party was divided over former House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney and her role in House Republican leadership, given her desire to move the party away from former President Donald Trump and the optics of the January 6 Capitol riot.

But fissures among House Republican leaders were nowhere to be seen—at least publicly—at this year’s three-day House GOP issues retreat just over 100 miles away in Ponte Vedra Beach.

Taking Cheney’s place as conference chair was GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik, who was elected by her colleagues after they removed Cheney by voice vote for her continued criticisms of Trump, including while onstage during the 2021 Orlando retreat. She hinted at her spontaneous rise to leadership during a Thursday morning press conference. 

“When I ran for conference chair about a year ago, I had three main goals,” Stefanik told reporters in the media center of Ponte Vedra’s Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort. “Number one, deliver a laser-focused, disciplined, unified message, focused on key issues that are important to voters. Number two, to go on offense against the far-left socialist Democrat policies every single day. And number three, to empower all of our incredibly talented members.” 

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  1. SGruenwald

    How did Elise vote on the election certification?

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    Jason Gibson

    With Donald Trump receding (fingers crossed) it definately is time to craft the new strategy. And at such a point Liz Cheney (as much as I admire what she's doing) is not going to be the way forward.

    Not sure Elise Stefanik is the answer though.

    Great article Audrey.

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    Kevin M. James

    "'But I will say this about Elise—she is a team player,' Palmer said."

    My first, second, and third impulses were to read that as meaning simply "she's perfect for the job because she has no soul."

    But perhaps I'm being far too uncharitable, and what Palmer's describing is actual virtue. I've been wrong before.

    (What a lousy day that was.)

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    1. David B.

      Well.to be precise, I'd say he was praising her for not having any convictions. She'll say what her boss tells her to say and then pass the word to the other convictionless fundraisers to say the same thing also. What an efficient machine of spineless wimps the GOP has become! And the members are THANKFUL to have someone tell them what they think each day! Disgusting!

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    Doug B.

    Liz Cheney was not ousted for failing to support the Republican agenda - she voted more often with Trump than Stefanik and I doubt she would object to criticisms of the Biden Admin.

    Her primary sin was telling the truth about Jan. 6th and the 2020 election whenever asked, without qualifications or evasions, which I admire. I am actually sympathetic to the argument that if you are in leadership you should always try to change to focus back to Biden. I think McConnell has the best compromise. He is always honest about what happened on Jan 6th and the election but also wants to move on to talking about the current Administration. If every elected Republican did the same I think the R party would be in better shape. Acknowledge the past, focus on the future. Of course I do know there is a large elephant in the room (living in Mar a Lago) who won’t follow this strategy.

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    1. Acre00

      FWIW, I think that same unwillingness to move on is what's going to kill Trump's chances of reelection. If he could eat the loss and move on - not even admit it, just stop talking about it for 5 seconds - he'd probably have a lock on the nomination. Talk about how awful the Afghanistan pull out was, about how Putin would never have invaded Ukraine under his watch, about how he'd have inflation at .1%, anything else. People just want to move on, and the more he stays stuck in 2019, the more people will be content to leave him there

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    Ben Connelly

    Elise Stefanik represents the new GOP all too well… that’s not a compliment.

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    Neil Hansen

    This is beyond depressing. Leaving aside the absurdity of removing Cheney from leadership for speaking out against Trump for a literal attack on the US Capitol; the “innovation” of sound bites from the House floor as a strategy for a party wishing to lead the country is pathetic.
    I’m old enough to remember when Republicans took it as a point of pride they were the party of ideas rather than meaningless sound bites.

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      Barry Alexander

      This. I remember when I was excited to vote GOP, because they were actually addressing the issues of the day, while the left stuck with an ideology that addressed issues germane to the early Industrial Age in Europe. The "Party of Ideas." Now, that term can only be used ironically. For me, the turning point was when Bush suggested that reforming Social Security might be a good idea before it bankrupted the whole country, and the rest of the GOP "leadership" ran away at top speed.

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  7. CWB3

    All those quotes from GOP members prove they are Trump beholden liars. Cheney and her staff did all of the same legwork and coordinating that they ascribe to Stefanik, and more. Furthermore Cheney’s voting record is much more consistent and coherently conservative that anything the so called “Freedom Caucus” can boast. Liz Cheney would be a very good voice for articulate and principled conservatism absent the orange cult. Oh well, lost opportunity, keep shedding the suburban middle class voters. You do you MAGA world. I’ll pass you by just like 2016 and 2020.

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    1. David B.

      Well maybe not. It sounds like Stefanik has raised the bar on informing GOP representatives what they think on a daily basis...so there's that. I mean they can't be expected to have their own thoughts, reflecting their own constituents' needs and points of view now can they?? It's all about "branding" now and a consistent message for Fox News, OAN, and Newsmax. Ugh.

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  8. SGruenwald

    Anti-Biden messaging? That's the whole R agenda it seems. No help with Covid, Russia, or Inflation just kvetching and active obstruction.

    Watching the clock for the Dispatch take on "Insurrection" Ginny and Associate Justice Fail To Recuse. Seems preternaturally quiet.

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      Greenknight

      Same thing at National Review... they are avoiding the subject like the plague (worse actually, since they are very much pro-plague).

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      rlritt

      I agree. This woman should be arrested, but there too many cowards unwilling to take a stand!

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    rlritt

    "new initiative spearheaded by Stefanik that encourages members to use more floor time for messaging sound bites."

    So as per usual. all marketing, no substance.

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    Frank Lee

    Do Democrats even have the self-awareness to understand how cheap and pathetic they appear to majority voters in showering people they used to hate with love only because that person joins their political crusade?

    Dick Cheney, Dick Cheney, Dick Cheney.

    Can someone name a Dem turncoat for the Republicans? I bet someone says Tulsi Gabbard, but then that won't work because many Republicans have liked her from day one. She is a center candidate. Liz Cheney has her father's conservative ice blood.

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      rlritt

      Gabbert couldn't get much trackion as a Democrat so she joined the MAGA train. Shows she has no integrity; just ugly ambition.

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      rlritt

      I hate Dick Cheney
      I also hated my father. How Liz turned out with so much integrity is amazing.

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      Bill Nelson

      John Tower. Democratic Texas governor who became a Republican senator. Was wounded in the Kennedy assassination.

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      1. Larry Jackson

        Wrong guy. You mean John Connally. Never a US senator. Was Sec of Treasury, ran for Pres nomination and was a flop.

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          Bill Nelson

          Correct. I got lazy.

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