By Sophie Mann
House GOP Conference Chairwoman Rep. Elise Stefanik’s fundraising group E-PAC on Monday announced it has endorsed a third slate of female 2022 candidates including former Alaska GOP Gov. Sarah Palin in her bid for a congressional seat.
“Congresswoman Elise Stefanik has done an outstanding job recruiting strong conservative woman leaders, many of whom are mama grizzlies who will shake Washington to its core,” said Palin, who also received the coveted Trump endorsement shortly after announcing her campaign in early April.
The recently announced endorsements follow candidates backed by the political action committee last week winning GOP primaries in Indiana and Ohio.
E-PAC-endorsed candidates remain undefeated so far in this early primary season. However, Stefanik’s pick for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District was voted off the ballot by the state GOP several weeks ago. And her efforts to help Palin win Alaska’s Aug. 16 primary for the open seat of the late GOP Rep. Don Young face significant obstacles.
Palin, the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee, took an early lead in polls after announcing her bid. But Young’s widow has endorsed state GOP Sen. Josh Revak for the seat, and the Alaska Republican Party’s Central Committee has endorsed software engineer Nick Begich III for the state’s lone House seat.
The top-four vote-getters in the open primary, Democrat or Republican, advance to the general election.
E-PAC has now endorsed the congressional campaigns of 22 candidates this cycle. Among those recently endorsed are Catalina Lauf, in Illinois’ 11th District; Jennifer-Ruth Green, a combat veteran who won her primary in Indiana’s 1st District last week; and Carolina Serrano in Nevada’s 1st District.
Stefanik, the No. 3 House Republican, whose party appears poised to win control of the chamber in November, has helped recruit over 300 GOP women to run for office this year.
“These women are stepping up, and they’re fired up like never before because they know that the future of out country is on the line,” said Stefanik, who represents New York’s 21st Congressional District.
