Rep. Stefanik, a Key National Leader in Recruiting Republican Women for Congress, Backs Michelle Steel in CA-48
Huntington Beach, CA– Today, U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik announced she has officially endorsed Orange County Supervisor Michelle Steel for California’s 48th congressional district. Representative Stefanik, who served as the National Republican Congressional Committee’s Recruitment Chair last cycle, was first elected to Congress in 2014 and at the time was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.
This election cycle, Congresswoman Stefanik has established herself as a key national leader in recruiting and helping Republican women through her leadership PAC, E-PAC, which seeks to engage, empower and elevate female Republican candidates.
“I have personally spoken to nearly 100 announced female candidates this cycle, and Michelle Steel is one of the best Republican candidates in the country because of her track record of fighting on behalf of all Orange County residents and improving their quality of life,” said Rep. Stefanik. “Michelle Steel’s race will be essential in Republicans taking back the House so that we can get our country back-on-track.”
The Steel campaign has already announced the endorsements of former Orange County U.S. Representatives Dana Rohrabacher, Ed Royce, Mimi Walters, and Darrell Issa.
The Stefanik endorsement is the latest sign of strength by the Steel for Congress campaign after being the top fundraising California Republican challenger candidate for Congress — with the 4th highest total raised in the country amongst Republican congressional challengers — in the Federal Election Commission’s 2nd quarter covering April 1st to June 30th. Steel formed her congressional campaign committee on May 1st and raised $536,023 in just two months.
Michelle Steel also out-raised her closest Republican opponent in the 48th district by $525,000 and ended the 2nd FEC quarter with $516,929 cash-on-hand.
In 2018, Steel was overwhelmingly re-elected to represent Orange County’s 2nd supervisorial district with 63.4% of the vote. The 2nd supervisorial district overlaps 66% of California’s 48th congressional district and is solely in Orange County.
The 48th district encompasses all or portions of Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, and Westminster.