He has one of the strongest records of policy accomplishments of any first-term president, writes Rep. Elise Stefanik.
March 15th, 2023
by Elise Stefanik
Though the media wishes otherwise, Donald J. Trump has one of the strongest records of policy accomplishments of any first-term president. I disagree with Gerard Baker’s column “DeSantis vs. Trump Pits Accomplishments Against Narrative” (Free Expression, March 7), which echoes the media refrain that President Trump’s campaign is about only narratives and grievances, and not deep on policy or accomplishments.
One of the many reasons that voters in my district and across the country voted for Mr. Trump is because of his agenda-setting policy vision and his ability to deliver: Promises made, promises kept. Too many politicians over the years have spoken a big game on the campaign trail only to backtrack when they arrive in Washington. With Mr. Trump, it was the opposite.
I was humbled to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference this year, highlighting House Republicans’ legislative and oversight agenda as the only backstop to single-party Democrat rule. At CPAC, Mr. Trump’s speech was heavy on policy and tough talk. Like he did in 2016, Mr. Trump is setting the policy agenda and pace of the Republican primary, and the other candidates or would-be candidates are either playing catch up or running on “not being Trump,” while touting his policies—a single-digit strategy. Mr. Trump is handily defeating all his GOP challengers by double digits in the polls.
Buckle up! Journalists and the groupthink chattering class clearly didn’t learn the lesson from 2016 of their vast disconnect and dismissal of the everyday American people.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R., N.Y.)
Saratoga, N.Y.
View the full Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal here.
