Conservative Chip Roy Challenges Stefanik For House GOP Leadership Role

Conservative Chip Roy Challenges Stefanik For House GOP Leadership Role

Share to Linkedin Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), a member of the right-wing Freedom Caucus, will launch an 11th hour challenge against Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N. Y.) for House Republican conference chair after some Caucus members complained Stefanik's record is too moderate to represent House Republicans. UNITED STATES - MARCH 17: Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, speaks during the Freedom Caucus press conference ... [+] on immigration outside the Capitol on Wednesday, March 17, 2021. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) Roy will be nominated by Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), a fellow Freedom Caucus member who opposed ousting Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) as conference chair on Wednesday and says Stefanik is a "liberal," according to spokespeople for Buck and Roy. Stefanik still enjoys broad support, including from Freedom Caucus vice chair Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), and is widely perceived as the favorite, with Roy's challenge serving as a conservative hail mary. Stefanik, asked about her bid for the chairmanship on Thursday, told reporters she feels "great" about a candidate forum scheduled for later in the evening, stating she has "strong support across the caucus." Stefanik differs with Roy not only on policy, but on the 2020 election: whereas Roy