Earlier today, all members of the 114th Congress were sworn in to office in Washington, D.C. Among them are newly-elected representatives, including Republicans John Katko from the Syracuse area and Elise Stefanik from the North Country.
Stefanik has received national attention as the youngest woman ever elected to the House of Representatives. And many Republicans have looked to her to be the new face of the party.
In an interview with CBS This Morning, Stefanik agreed Republicans in the past have had an image problem with women.
“We’ve certainly fixed it in this past election cycle,” Stefanik said. “And I hope that we take away lessons from this past election cycle. I think we need to have a tone that reaches out to women, and that’s something that I’ve been very focused on. I also think we need to do a better job of listening.”
She said that’s an area one of her mentors, Rep. Paul Ryan gave her advice about. Ryan, who Stefanik worked for during his campaign for vice president, was younger than Stefanik when he was first elected to the House. Stefanik says he told her that she has one mouth and two ears and she should use them proportionally.
Stefanik also told CBS News that she's "just excited to add an additional crack to the glass ceiling."
Stefanik was named by the Washington Post as one of seven women to watch in the new Congress. And while she's still getting her office in Washington set up, she has already started a leadership political action committee and been voted by the rest of the newly elected members to serve as the liaison between the freshman class and the House Policy Committee. Stefanik, whose district includes Fort Drum, will also serve on the powerful House Armed Services Committee.
