Now that it appears that Donald Trump will most likely be the GOP nominee for president (although a black swan could appear, of course), political junkies are wondering whom he’ll pick as a running mate. On Wednesday, NBC reported that they have the inside dirt: the lucky duck will be Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York state.

Insiders said that at a dinner at Mar-a-Lago in December, Trump floated the question of whom should be his veep pick. The name of Elise Stefanik came up, and Trump nodded with approval. He pronounced the three little words that every MAGA girl wants to hear:

She’s a killer.

Everyone knew that he was talking about her moment in Congress when she grilled three university presidents about their lack of support for Jewish students. It was electric, to be sure.

It was at that moment that Trump and his team began to take a closer look at the 39-year-old Congresswoman. However, he had been looking at her for a while anyway, since she possesses the one attribute he prizes most: loyalty.

Moreover, she is going to New Hampshire with Donald Trump.

I’m so proud to join my friend President Donald Trump on the campaign trail in New Hampshire on behalf of #NY21 and America!

Looking forward to the Friday rally and thanking all the incredible hardworking @TeamTrump volunteers.

6 days until victory in NH!

America will elect…

— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) January 17, 2024

Hmm, very interesting.

Tenor.com.

So is Elise Stefanik the real deal? Or just the rumor du jour?

Team Trump Gives Elise Stefanik Thumbs Up

Steve Bannon, Trump loyalist and his chief strategist in the White House, gives her a yuuuge thumbs up. “Stefanik is at the top,” he declared:

Stefanik brings, obviously, incredible talents at many levels, from the House, and knowing how to defend President Trump and the MAGA movement. And most importantly, she knows how to play what I call the unforgiving moment, when you have to make that decision to go all in.

She picks her shots and she knows where her leverage is. And she understands something that’s quite rare today, which is modern communications. She knows what can make an impact. So she’s clearly a huge talent.

In addition, Trump strategist and über zealot Roger Stone, approves of her too:

Any shortlist in my opinion should include Elise Stefanik. She’s demonstrated her courage and her leadership qualities. 

However, he added, “it’s also very, very early in the process.”

As for Elise Stefanik herself, she did what every potential veep pick does: she played coy, refusing to tell NBC whether or not she was interested in the gig:

I’m not going to get into any of my conversations with President Trump. I’m honored to call him a friend. I’m proud to be the first member of Congress to have endorsed his re-election, and he had a huge win in Iowa. So we’re very excited about that. 

There are many reasons why Trump sees Elise Stefanik as a loyalist.

How Stefanik Has Supported Trump

Elise Stefanik worked on Mitt Romney’s campaign in 2012. However, when Trump won the presidency in 2016, she switched gears and recast herself as a MAGA supporter.

Late last year she attacked the judge in Trump’s January 6 cases by filing a complaint, alleging judicial misconduct by U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell. Howell, claimed Stefanik, made a “highly inappropriate political speech.”

She also called on Attorney General Merrick Garland for a criminal probe of former Trump fixer Michael Cohen.

Finally, in the move that seemed most like music to Trump’s ears, she refused to certify the 2020 election while backing his efforts to overturn it. For her efforts, Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) on Wednesday introduced a resolution to censure Stefanik over her “Support to Perpetrators of the January 6^thAttack on the U.S. Capitol.” She had called them “hostages.”

Clearly Elise Stefanik has gone to the mat for Donald Trump with the hopes that he’d reward her for her efforts. Because that’s how political sausage is made.

But is Elise Stefanik Truly Conservative?

Bonchie at Red State questioned why Trump supporters would trash Nikki Haley as being a liberal “neocon” when Elise Stefanik is even more liberal. He wrote:

If someone doesn’t want Haley to be vice president, would they really want Stefanik to fill the role? She’s just as supportive of Ukraine (and has supported every aid package passed so far), and her voting record is even more liberal on social issues and spending.

And indeed, her record is less than stellar when it comes to conservative principles.

For example, the Heritage Foundation gave her a scorecard rating of 72% for the current session of Congress (the average House Republican has 79%). However, her lifetime score is a measly 54% — undoubtedly she’s attempting to put forth her bona fides as a conservative in order to gain favor with the MAGA crowd.

But Stefanik’s Liberty Score from Conservative Review was even worse: she received an F. CR graded her votes as 52% liberal, 48% conservative.

Some of the troublesome votes included failing to end federal control of local schools; supporting same-sex marriage; and suspending the debt ceiling, generating $4 trillion in new federal debt.

But she’s loyal to Donald Trump, and apparently that’s what counts.

At a spring luncheon in 2022, Trump said glowingly of Elise Stefanik:

She’s come a long way, and now she’s really, really with us. She was kind of with us before, but she’s really with us now.

Conservative principles? Meh. Being loyal to Donald Trump is of paramount importance. As well as “being a killer.”

But don’t make any wagers. As Bonchie wrote:

I’m guessing his opinion on who to pick changes by the hour, and before this is all done, there may be some more surprises. 

Featured image: Elise Stefanik, June, 2022. Personal photo.