ABC chief political analyst Matthew Dowd on Wednesday tweeted, then deleted an attack at Rep. Elise Stefanik (R., N.Y.) after she questioned witnesses during the House impeachment hearing.
"Elise stefanik is a perfect example of why just electing someone because they are a woman or a millennial doesn't necessarily get you the leaders we need," Dowd wrote in a now-deleted tweet.
Dowd's attack came minutes after Stefanik pointed out during a House Intelligence Committee hearing that although President Donald Trump threatened to remove aid from Ukraine, and asked Ukrainian officials to investigate the Biden family, neither of these things ever occurred.
Stefanik responded to the tweet, saying that she does not measure her "self-worth or professional work based on tweets from self-important @MSNBC commentators," and asking of Dowd, "Who is he again?"
Thx @RepMarkMeadows ! It’s a good thing I wasn’t raised to measure my self-worth or professional work based on tweets from self-important @MSNBC commentators like Dowd (who is he again?)! I earn support from #NY21 voters bc of my focus on keeping my promises & delivering #Results https://t.co/o3BvcWh1NQ
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) November 13, 2019
After much criticism, Dowd tweeted an apology to Stefanik, claiming that his first tweet had been "misinterpreted."
Hey @EliseStefanik I just want to apologize for a tweet that is being misinterpreted. I didn’t mean to suggest you were elected only because you were a woman or a millennial. I deleted the tweet.
— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) November 13, 2019
Dowd added that he will be "more careful in how I phrase my thoughts."
I deleted the tweet and apologize. I in no way meant to suggest that we don’t need women or millennial leaders. In fact to opposite is true and I have advocated for that. I will be more careful in how I phrase my thoughts. Lesson learned. @EliseStefanik
— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) November 13, 2019
Stefanik was also attacked earlier in the day by MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace, who wrote on Twitter that she is "drinking the same loony tune juice with her breakfast" as former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.
"I am flattered that you are comparing me to @NikkiHaley!" Stefanik wrote. "HUGE compliment! Instead of ever standing in front of voters as a candidate or putting your name on the ballot, you just keep attacking @gop women who have. Sad. Get outside of the @MSNBC bubble!"
https://twitter.com/EliseStefanik/status/1194647314952011776?s=20