Congresswoman Elise Stefanik has abruptly exited the New York governor’s race, a move that comes weeks after she became a lightning rod online—not just for her hard-line views, but for repeated scrutiny of her increasingly disheveled public appearances. The 41-year-old Republican and vocal Tr ump ally had been attempting to project momentum, even celebrating the passage of a bill affecting schools in New York. But any policy message was quickly drowned out, as attention shifted to Stefanik’s unkempt appearance at the event—reinforcing the very narrative she’d been struggling to shake. Republican New York Rep. Elise Stefanik is dragged for her sloppy attire at a public event. (Photo by ALEX WROBLEWSKI/AFP via Getty Images) ‘Look at That Lady Behind Him’: Trump’s Yes Crew Was Suppose to Deliver Big News, But Seconds Later They’re Locked in a Weird Back-and-Forth No One Saw Coming  Stefanik was seen celebrating the passage of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act on the House floor in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 15, which allows school cafeterias to serve kids flavored and unflavored whole milk. The self-described “ultra MAGA” congresswoman stood by on the sidelines as Assemblyman Chris Tague was behind the podium speaking, and a picture of her unfortunate attire has the internet dragging her for looking “unkempt” and after it went viral. Stefanik is wearing a red suit in the picture with her pants so baggy and long that they puddled on the carpet as the congresswoman stood with one hand clasped over the other hand. In contrast, her suit jacket appeared way too small and somewhat wrinkled, and her poor outfit choice has the internet dragging her left and right. A user on Threads shared a picture of the Republican with the caption, “Sloppy Stefanik.” View on Threads The internet roasted the congresswoman after the picture went viral online, and one user noted the size of her pants. “Was she hoping to grow into those pants?” Another said, “OMG, that has to be the worst-fitting suit I have ever seen. Doesn’t she have ‘people’ to stop her from going out into public like this? The pants are way too big and that jacket is about to burst. WTF????” Others who agreed wrote, “Yikes, size up on the blazer girl, and hem your pants!!” and “She’s melting.” Stefanik’s oversized red suit gave fans flashbacks to other popular shows and movies. “I believe there was some leftover material from The Handmaid’s Tale,” replied one individual. Another said, “So cool for@repstefanik to dip into nineties fashion—I adored this look in Little Rascals. Tailor? She barely knows her.” One person bluntly wrote, “She’s always so unkempt. Just inherently sloppy.” A woman who shamelessly demonstrated complete loyalty and devotion being unceremoniously cast aside in favor of a mediocre old white guy shall henceforth be known as getting "Stefaniked." pic.twitter.com/M4qpEDq8X4— Darren Kaplan (@DarrenKaplan) December 20, 2025 Stefanik, a onetime moderate who came to prominence in congressional hearings in which she railed against Ivy League school presidents over their positions on pro-Palestine campus demonstrations, has a history of controversial positions and recently ruffled Trump’s feathers after he declined to call Democratic New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, a “jihadist.” The congresswoman called Mamdani “jihadist” following Donald Trump’s meeting with the progressive politician at the White House in November after the president said, “No,” when asked if he thought he was standing next to a jihadist. Stefanik announced in November that she would run in the 2026 New York gubernatorial race. Despite previously tapping the congresswoman for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations—a nomination later withdrawn in March amid concerns over the GOP’s slim House majority—Trump declined to endorse her bid, signaling he would hold off on backing any candidate at this stage. View on Threads “While we would have overwhelmingly won this primary, it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York,” Stefanik shared in a statement with CBS News. She does not plan to run for re-election in Congress, as of now. ‘She’s Melting’: Elise Stefanik Quietly Drops Out of NY Governor’s Race Weeks After Viral Photos Spark Brutal Online Dragging Over Her Appearance ...read more read less