Rep. Elise Stefanik (Photo provided)

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, received $41,500 in campaign contributions from defense contractors in the first quarter, a huge increase from usual, in her new prominent role as chairwoman of the House Defense Committee subcommittee that oversees counterterrorism programs and initiatives.

Stefanik received $11,500 from defense contractors in the first quarter of 2015 and $17,000 in the first quarter of 2016, when she served on the Defense Committee but did not chair a subcommittee.

Her overall fundraising in the first quarter was lower than typical for the quarter, but she remains in a solid financial position for her re-election bid in 2018.

“I believe that having a leadership opportunity gives this district a leadership opportunity on the House Armed Services Committee,” Stefanik said in a telephone interview on Monday. “I’m appreciative of the wide support that I have received for my re-election campaign.”

Stefanik had $691,141 in her campaign fund as of March 31.

Patrick Nelson, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Stefanik in 2018, had $4,201 in his campaign fund as of March 31.

Stefanik’s campaign received $270,202 in the first quarter, the second lowest first-quarter receipts in her political career, according to reports on file with the Federal Elections Commission.

Stefanik’s campaign raised $268,780 in the first quarter of 2014, $305,737 in the first quarter of 2015, and $332,921 in the first quarter of 2016.

Stefanik received $11,500 from health care and health care-related political action committees in the first quarter, including $7,500 from health insurance companies, $1,500 from health care professional organizations and $2,500 from medical device companies.

Stefanik’s new role as chairwoman of the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee has brought her prominence in Washington as she has chaired public hearings and traveled with congressional fact-finding missions.

Stefanik on Saturday returned from leading a delegation of four House members to Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Jordan, where the delegation met with the commander of U.S. Special Operations Forces in Iraq and Syria, and visited various military units.

It was Stefanik’s second congressional trip this year. In February, she traveled with a delegation of House Intelligence Committee members to Japan and South Korea.

—

By the #s: Stefanik’s defense donations

–

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, received the following contributions from defense contractors in the first quarter of 2017:

General Electric, $5,000

L3 Technologies, $5,000

Raytheon, $5,000

UNUM, $5,000

Honeywell International, $3,500

Northrop Grumman, $2,500

Orbital ATK, $2,500.

BAE Systems, $2,000

General Dynamics, $2,000

Harris Corp., $2,000

Huntington Ingalls, $2,000

Lockheed Martin, $2,000

Dyn Corp., $1,000

Ledis Inc., $1,000

Sierra Nevada, $1,000

(Source: First-quarter campaign finance report filed with the Federal Election Commission)

—

(Editor’s note: Four daily newspapers in the North Country — the Enterprise, Post-Star of Glens Falls, Watertown Daily Times and Press-Republican of Plattsburgh — are sharing content to better cover New York’s 21st Congressional District.)