House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik Said She Would Not Have Certified 2020 Election Results Like ‘What Mike Pence Did’

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-New York), the House Republican Conference Chair, declared that she would have handled the certification of the 2020 election results on January 6, 2021, differently than former Vice President Mike Pence.

In an interview with CNN on Thursday evening, Stefanik stated, “I would not have done what Mike Pence did. I don’t think that was the right approach.”

However, Stefanik did not provide any specific details about what she would have done differently. When questioned about whether she would be comfortable with Vice President Kamala Harris rejecting state votes in the event of Trump’s reelection, Stefanik changed the subject and did not directly address the question.

Stefanik’s remarks came about a month after she declined to commit to certifying the results of the 2024 presidential election and stated that she would only do so if they were deemed “constitutional.” She voiced concerns about what she perceived as unconstitutional actions in the 2020 election, particularly the bypassing of state legislatures in changing election laws.

While Trump has not yet announced his potential running mate for the upcoming presidential race, there have been reports that he is considering selecting a woman. Stefanik, as the highest-ranking woman in the GOP congressional leadership, has been mentioned as a potential candidate for this position on Trump’s reported short-list.

When asked about her involvement in the vice presidential vetting process for a potential Trump administration, Stefanik responded, “I’m happy to be one of the top surrogates for President Trump… I voted for him in 2016. I was proud to work with him on his impeachment defense team when the first witch hunt started against him.”

She continued, “I would [be] proud to serve in a Trump administration, but we have a lot to do. I have a lot of responsibility as the Republican conference chair.”

Stefanik recently pulled her endorsement from an Ohio congressional candidate who criticized Trump.