April 4, 2024
By NCPR News
In the first quarter of 2024, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik raised just over $7 million dollars.
That’s the most money that the GOP Conference Chair and fourth-ranking House Republican has ever raised in a single quarter during her political career.
To get to that $7 million dollar mark, Politico reports that Stefanik received several large contributions from prominent Jewish Republicans early this year.
That’s after Stefanik questioned the presidents of several colleges back in December, including Harvard, about the rise of antisemitism on campuses.
The largest single donation to her campaign came from cosmetics company heir Ron Lauder. Lauder is the president of the World Jewish Congress. He gave $300,000 to a Stefanik joint fundraising committee.
This November, Stefanik will face re-election for her seat. She currently has five challengers.
Republican Jill Lochner will run against her in the Republican Primary on June 25. Democrats Paula Collins and Steven Holden are vying for the democratic nomination. Scott Phillip Lewis is running as an independent, and Brian Rouleau is running under the Working Families Party.
Stefanik’s fundraising efforts dwarf those of her opponents.
In the last quarter of 2023, according to the Federal Election Commission, Stefanik raised $5.3 million dollars.
Only two of her challengers were fundraising at that point. Combined, Democrat Steven Holden and Republican Jill Lochner raised a little less than $50,000.
