How Elise Stefanik rose from moderate Republican to Maga star

Elise Stefanik at a town hall event before Joe Biden’s first State of the Union speech, in March. Photograph: Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Elise Stefanik was worried about chocolate milk.

Stefanik, a Republican congresswoman representing much of northern New York state, sounded a clarion call on 4 March that New York City – perceived by many rightwingers as a hotbed of leftist depravity – was trying to cancel a wholesome children’s beverage.