Trump's potential future VP said she 'would not have done' what Mike Pence did on January 6

Rep Elise Stefanik speaks during a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump at the Grappone Convention Center on January 19, 2024, in Concord, New Hampshire. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

• On January 6, 2021, Vice President Mike Pence led Congress in certifying the election.
• GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik said she would’ve done things differently if in his shoes.
• Stefanik is considered to be on Trump’s short list of potential running mates this time around.

House Republican Conference chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, one of the leading prospects to become President Donald Trump’s running mate, said she ‘would not have done’ what former Vice President Mike Pence did to certify the presidential election on January 6, 2021.

In an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Thursday night, Stefanik was asked what she would have done the day of the Capitol riots if she were vice president and was in charge of leading Congress’ certification of each state’s vote.

“I would not have done what Mike Pence did,” she answered. “I don’t think that was the right approach.”

On January 6, 2021, despite several objections and after all of Congress had to evacuate the Capitol after pro-Trump rioters stormed the building, Pence successfully managed to lead the group of legislators to certify the election in favor of Democratic now-President Joe Biden.

Stefanik didn’t specify exactly what she would have done differently than Pence that day and changed the question when asked if she’d “be okay” with Vice President Kamala Harris rejecting state votes in the event Trump wins reelection.

Her comments on Thursday came just over a month after she wouldn’t commit to certifying 2024’s presidential election, promising only to “if they’re constitutional.”

“What we saw in 2020 was unconstitutional circumventing of the Constitution, not going through state legislators when it comes to changing election law.”

Though Trump has yet to announce his potential running mate in the presidential race, the Associated Press reported in late January that he’s interested in choosing a woman. Stefanik is both the highest-ranking woman and GOP congressional leader on his reported short-list.