WASHINGTON, DC – House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) on Tuesday hosted female Republican House candidates from across the country who are supported by her super PAC.
At a Rising Stars reception and press conference on Capitol Hill, Stefanik hosted six E-PAC-backed candidates, including two former U.S. representatives, Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-New Mexico) and Rep. Myra Flores (R-Texas). Herrell is running in New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, and Flores is running in the state’s 34th Congressional District. Both candidates lost their seats in 2022.
The other four candidates in attendance were:
- Alison Esposito, Republican candidate for New York Lieutenant Governor 2022 – Republican candidate for New York’s 18th Congressional District
- Retired Army Colonel Laurie Buckhout – Republican candidate for North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District
- Monique Desapin, attorney and Air Force veteran – Republican candidate for Oregon’s 4th Congressional District
- Attorney Carolyn Dobson – Republican candidate for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District.
Stefanik also took note of two E-PAC-endorsed candidates who were not in attendance: North Dakota Civil Service Commissioner Julie Fedorchak, who had a primary on Tuesday, and Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom (R-Alaska), who was hosting a large local event in the Last Frontier.
“What makes E-PAC different is that we’re not just endorsing candidates because they’re women, we’re endorsing the best candidates in these races who are women leaders,” Stefanik told reporters, “so they’ve demonstrated strong fundraising and demonstrated a path to victory in the primary and the general election.”
The No. 4 House Republican added that he met with many candidates he ultimately decided not to support.
“That’s why we put the spotlight on promising talent and ensure that our investments help secure the highest quality candidates for female leadership positions. And the model is working,” she emphasized.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), chair of the Republican Conference, speaks during a news conference with House Minority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnick)
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) was also on hand to praise Stefanik and highlight how the number of Republican women in Congress has nearly tripled since she launched E-PAC in 2019. In the 116th Congress in 2019, there were 13 Republican women in Congress; in the current 118th Congress, there are 36.
Emmer highlighted the past successes of Herrell and Flores, saying “they will succeed again,” before focusing on E-PAC’s other candidates.
“I want to let everyone know that we have new faces and because of the quality of the people we’ve hired and the people that Ellis has backed, we have a chance to win a seat that nobody thought we would win,” he said.
Since its founding in 2019, E-PAC has raised $10 million for female Republican candidates.
