×

Speaker Ryan to campaign for Stefanik in NY-21

House Speaker Paul Ryan will apparently visit New York’s 21st Congressional District during a whirlwind trip to support 25 Republican congressional candidates.

USA Today reported the trip on Monday afternoon, characterizing it as a way to shore up “vulnerable” Republican candidates. Of these, four are from New York: U.S. Reps. John Faso, Claudia Tenney, John Katko and Elise Stefanik.

This is not the first time Ryan has campaigned for Stefanik. The two first worked together in 2012 as Stefanik helped Ryan, then the Republican vice presidential nominee, prepare for his debate with Joe Biden. In 2014, Ryan came to Watertown to fundraise for Stefanik’s campaign during a primary.

Stefanik’s Democratic opponent, Tedra Cobb, was quick to mark the visit as a sign that the incumbent was not in nearly as strong a position as previously thought.

“Elise Stefanik has spent her adult life playing politics in Washington, D.C.,” Cobb wrote in a statement to the Times. “Her choice of surrogates from former Speaker John Boehner and future former Speaker Paul Ryan reinforces the fact that when given the opportunity, Elise Stefanik has been there for the Congressional Republican Establishment and they are here for her.”

Stefanik’s campaign released a statement on its fundraising numbers — Monday was the deadline for third quarter reports for federal elections — but did not answer questions on Ryan’s visit. Stefanik did not mention the visit on either Twitter or Facebook.

Starting at $3.92/week.

Subscribe Today