Lincoln Project hits Stefanik in new ad over support for Trump

The anti-Trump political action group The Lincoln Project released a new ad on Friday hitting Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) over her support for former President Trump, referring to the congresswoman as “just another sad Trump apologist.” 

The ad, dubbed “What Happened, Elise?,” cites Stefanik’s background working for former President George W. Bush and her commitment to “compassionate conservatism” prior to voicing her support for Trump. 

The group, founded by Republicans and former Republicans, went on in the ad to hit the New York representative for voting against impeaching Trump in the wake of the Jan. 6 violence on Capitol Hill and compared her to conservative first-term Reps. Marjorie Greene (R-Ga.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.).

“If Marjorie Taylor Green and Lauren Boebert went to Harvard, they’d be Elise Stefanik,” the ad says. 

Stefanik’s senior adviser hit back at the Lincoln Project, calling it a “scam PAC organization” in a statement to The Hill. 

“The Lincoln Project is currently implicated in a massive sexual abuse and harassment scandal. One co-founder is a serial sexual abuser and a paid Russian agent, and the other co-founder is a known Confederate sympathizer,” Alex Degrasse said.

“Democrats, Never Trumpers, and scam PAC organizations like The Lincoln Project spent nearly 7 million dollars trying to beat Congresswoman Stefanik. And North Country voters stunningly rebuked these desperate Never Trump organizations by re-electing Elise with the highest number of votes of any Congressional candidate in the history of the North Country.”

Harvard University’s Institute of Politics announced earlier this month that Stefanik, an alumna of the university, had been removed from its advisory committee due to her spreading false claims about voter fraud.

The congresswoman responded to the development by saying she would stand up for “for freedom of speech and freedom of thought.” 

Updated 2:43 p.m.