Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) told Breitbart News in an exclusive interview Friday that Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) is the right person to “steer” the House Republican “ship” as the House GOP Conference chair to take the House majority during the 2022 midterm elections.

Hinson spoke to Breitbart News as the House Republican Conference remains poised to remove Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) as the third-ranking Republican. Republicans have argued that Cheney has served as a distraction from a conference that should be focused on taking the speaker’s gavel from Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Hinson, a freshman congresswoman, said Stefanik should serve as the third-ranking Republican because the New York Republican can refocus the conference on messaging against Democrats’ “destructive” policies.

She said, “I think the most important factor in my decision was that we need to be focused as a conference on taking back the House in 2022, and our party leadership needs to be focused on that as well. And, that’s the only way we’re going to stop the destructive liberal agenda as it’s being pushed right now by Speaker Pelosi and President Biden. And, if Republicans are divided and not focusing all of our efforts against the radical policies, I see it as the surest way Pelosi will remain in power. So, that’s why I decided to support Elise because I respect Congressman Cheney’s record and service to our country, but I believe Elise right now is the right person to unify us and help lead our conference so we can take that majority in 2022.”

“I think when it comes to fundraising and messaging, she’s been a leader in both of those areas. We’ve seen her being a strong voice for conservative women all over the country,” she added. “When I look at who can help us as a conference to draw that sharp contrast between the Democrat vision for our country and the Republican vision for our country, I think Elise is the right person to steer the ship, and Republicans deliver that unified message to the American people and our agenda.”

Hinson said that Republicans, including herself, should focus on issues relating to border security, reining in big tech, and protecting American freedoms.

She said, “I am focused on telling the stories of Iowans, what the real-world impact these policies are going to have on my constituents back home, and I think everyone in our conference is focused on that. We’re focused on those common-sense economic policies, securing our border, talking about how every state in this country is a border state right now. We want to make sure that every American, every Iowan, has freedom and opportunity.”

Hinson said she remains confident that Republicans can take back the House but that underscores the need for GOP unity and the need to relay why their policies are better for the American people.

“I’m confident we’re going to take back the House, and I think those retirements are early signals, but it’s our jobs to tell these stories about why the Democrat policies are wrong for the country because that’s the mission to get to the point where we can win back the majority in 2022, and we’re also talking as a conference about why our policies are better,” she said.

“We’ve recruited great candidates across the country, we’re recruiting more every day, and that’s the way we win back the majority,” the Iowa conservative said.

Hinson said her freshman class of 2020, which helped Republicans come within striking distance of taking back the House majority, serves as a potential model for future congressional elections.

She said, “If you look at the class that I’m a part of, the 2020 freshman class, anyone who flipped a seat was a woman, a minority, or a veteran. When I look at the makeup of our class, our class looks like America; that’s the message we’re taking across the country.”

Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.