Rep. Elise Stefanik said Sunday that “political realities” led President Trump to pull her nomination to serve as United States ambassador to the United Nations.
The New York Republican said Mr. Trump needs her to stick around in her current job because the House GOP’s “historically slim” majority threatens to derail the president’s legislative agenda.
“This is very important that we put the American people first,” Ms. Stefanik said on the Fox News program “Sunday Morning Futures.” “Congress must pass this reconciliation package to cut taxes, unleash American energy independence and secure the border.”
Mr. Trump echoed that sentiment last week, telling reporters he asked Ms. Stefanik to do him a favor because of the slim Republican 218-213 majority in the lower chamber.
House Republicans could tackle the budget resolution before both chambers recess for the Easter and Passover breaks. They are using what is known as the budget “reconciliation” process to bypass a 60-vote threshold in the Senate and thus avoid needing any support from Democrats.
House Republicans could get some reinforcements next week after voters in a pair of deep red districts cast ballots in special elections in Florida’s 1st and 6th Congressional Districts.
Mr. Trump carried the districts by, respectively, 37 and 30 percentage points in the presidential election.
The Democrats in those races have vastly outraised their Republican rivals, giving them a glimmer of hope for a massive upset that would make the politics even more challenging for House Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican.
On Sunday, Ms. Stefanik said she is “proud to be stepping up” with the Trump team to support the American people.
“I was proud to be the nominee for the United Nations,” she said. “It is so important that we step up as a team in so many ways and I am doing that and it has been universally praised and we are going to continue moving forward.”
