House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik on Thursday backed away from her initial support for a Republican congressional candidate from Ohio after audio emerged of her criticizing former President Donald Trump as “arrogant.”
Stefanik (R-NY) had endorsed former Ohio state Rep. Craig Riedel for the Buckeye State’s battleground 9th Congressional District. in Julyhailing him as “the conservative fighter we need.”
“I have informed Craig Riedel (OH-09) that I will be withdrawing my endorsement. “I was very disappointed by his inappropriate comments about President Trump.” Stefanik posted on X Thursday.
“As we begin 2024, my focus is on ensuring we nominate the strongest candidates on the ballot who are committed to electing President Trump this November and expanding our Republican majority in the House,” he added.
Riedel was recorded badmouthing Trump for hurling insults at his political enemies.
We obtained EXCLUSIVE leaked audio that exposes @craig_riedel who is running as a Republican in Ohio’s 9th District, badmouthing President Trump while also displaying endorsements on his website from some of Trump’s biggest supporters, including Jim Jordan and Elise… pic.twitter.com/ivN1IP8XHn
-Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) December 8, 2023
Elise Stefanik was the first member of the House Republican leadership to endorse Donald Trump. Facebook / Elise Stefanik
“I think he’s arrogant. I don’t like the way he insults people. I just don’t think that’s very typical of a president,” Riedel said in an audio released last month by conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Riedel, who had been seen as a favorite in the Republican primary to face 21-term incumbent Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), also said he did not want the 77-year-old’s endorsement in his race.
“I’m not. We’re not. No,” Riedel responded in the audio when asked: “You’re not looking for Trump’s endorsement, are you?”
Elise Stefanik had criticized Donald Trump when he first entered the political arena in 2015, but has since become one of his strongest supporters in Congress. REUTERS
One day after the statements emergedRiedel endorsed Trump for president and later claimed he had been misled.
“[Rep.] Matt Gaetz [R-Fla.] and a social media trickster pulled a stunt yesterday to try to convince President Trump to get involved in my congressional primary in favor of proven loser JR Majewski,” he said. “Yesterday an alleged donor called me and made numerous anti-Trump statements.”
Majewski, an Air Force veteran and pro-Trump hip-hop artist, is also competing in the Republican primary for the seat. He lost to Kaptur in 2022 following a report that he had misrepresented his military record.
Stefanik initially supported Riedel’s candidacy for Congress.
That September, the Associated Press reported that Majewski had claimed to be a “combat veteran” in Afghanistan, although public records indicated he had never been deployed there and instead spent six months at a base in Qatar.
After Majewski argued that his service in Afghanistan was classified and that he had frequently sent shipments to that country, a follow-up AP story revealed that he had been demoted from the military for drunk driving at an air base.
Stefanik’s lack of endorsement of Riedel comes after Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) similarly withdrew his support last month.
“Due to Craig Riedel’s recent comments, I must rescind my support for his candidacy. Make America Great Again. AGAIN,” Miller said at the time.
Stefanik was the first to say that Riedel was “the conservative fighter we need.” CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Other House Republican leaders have also endorsed Riedel’s campaign, including House Majority Leader Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) .
Stefanik has been a staunch supporter of Trump, preemptively endorsing him in November 2022, days before he launched his campaign for the White House in 2024.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn