Claudia Tenney

In 2014, Tenney ran for the Republican nomination for New York's 22nd congressional district, losing the June 24 primary to incumbent Richard L. Hanna by six points, 47-53%.[25] Described as a "Tea Party favorite", Tenney reportedly challenged Hanna because "she believed he had abandoned his conservative principles during two terms in Congress. Tenney called Hanna a RINO (Republican in Name Only) who had become the third-most liberal Republican in the House of Representatives, based on his voting record."[26] During his House tenure, Hanna voted against cuts to NPR and Planned Parenthood,[27] supported same-sex marriage,[28] and opposed a ban on elective abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.[29] He was reelected in November.

Tenney again sought election to Congress from the 22nd District in the 2016 elections. Hanna retired weeks later, denying that the prospect of a primary rematch with Tenney was a factor.[30] Tenney was endorsed by the Conservative Party of New York State, the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List, the Citizens United Victory Fund,[31] and New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms PAC.[32] Hanna did not endorse her.[33]

Tenney won a three-way Republican primary on June 28, 2016. She defeated Democrat Kim Myers and Independent Martin Babinec in the November general election[34] with 44% of the vote to Myers's 39% and Babinec's 13%.[35] She likely benefited from the coattails of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who carried the district with almost 55% of the vote.[36]

On March 3, 2018, Tenney confirmed that she would seek reelection in 2018.[37] The Democrats nominated New York State Assemblymember Anthony Brindisi of nearby Utica, who had served alongside Tenney in the Assembly.[38] Brindisi outraised Tenney, ending the year with $581,851 to Tenney's $573,486.[39] In March 2018, The Hill wrote that Tenney was "embracing President Trump's confrontational style."[40]

On election night, Brindisi led by 1,293 votes.[41] By November 20, Brindisi's lead grew to over 3,900 votes, exceeding the number of outstanding absentee ballots.[42][43][44] On November 21, Tenney told local radio station WUTQ-FM that it was unlikely she would overtake Brindisi, and agreed to help with the transition, but said that she wanted to see every ballot counted.[45] She conceded a week later, on November 28.[46] Her defeat made New York's 22nd congressional district the most pro-Trump congressional district in the nation won by a Democrat in 2018.[47]

Tenney sought election to Congress in New York's 22nd congressional district once again in 2020.[48] She won the Republican primary and challenged incumbent Anthony Brindisi in the general election. As of December 2, Tenney held a 12-vote lead in the general election; the race was one of two U.S. House races that remained unresolved.[49] On December 8, a New York state judge ordered a districtwide recanvass of all ballots, including provisional ballots and disputed ballots that were not included in the original count.[50]

On February 5, 2021, Tenney was declared the winner of the election by 109 votes.[51]

In a radio interview shortly after the February 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, Tenney said, "It's interesting that so many of these people that commit the mass murders end up being Democrats".[52][53][54] In a follow-up interview, she added, "It isn’t just Republicans who commit all these terrible crimes. ... All I’m saying is everybody is guilty equally". She then shouted "Fake news" and ended the interview.[55]

When reports emerged that Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson's office had ordered a $31,000 dining room table set with taxpayer funds, Tenney blamed the "deep state" for the expenditure, adding, "I know that Ben Carson did not order that table. It has nothing to do with him. He comes from, you know, poverty".[56][57]

In March 2017, Tenney voted to reverse the FCC privacy rule that blocked ISPs from selling customer browsing history without customers' permission.[58][59][60]

Tenney was a co-sponsor of legislation that would substantially eliminate National Firearms Act restrictions on obtaining or possessing gun silencers. After the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, she said she still planned to support the bill.[61]

In November 2017, Tenney introduced the No Pensions for Corrupt Politicians Act, which would "close a loophole that has allowed corrupt members of Congress to collect federal pensions after they are convicted of crimes."[62]

In April 2018, Tenney signed a letter calling for criminal investigations into a number of former Obama administration officials and high-ranking Justice Department officials. The letter accused former FBI Director James Comey of leaking classified information, 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton of concealing payments for the Steele Dossier, and Loretta Lynch of threatening whistle-blowers who had anti-Clinton information. The letter also accused former acting attorney general Sally Yates, former deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe, former acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente, former senior counterintelligence official Peter Strzok and FBI attorney Lisa Page of criminal wrongdoing.[63]

Tenney was a member of the Climate Solutions Caucus.[64] In 2016, she cast doubt on the scientific consensus on climate change, saying, "The science is not determined. It’s not certain."[65] In 2017, she supported Trump's decision to abandon the Paris Climate Accord.[66][67]

On May 4, 2017, Tenney voted for the American Health Care Act (AHCA), a bill that passed the House of Representatives and died in the Senate.[68] It would have rewritten many regulations of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and eliminated the individual mandate and federal protections for preexisting conditions in favor of high-risk pools.[69][70] Tenney also voted for a portion of the AHCA that targeted Medicaid funding by prohibiting Medicaid-related property taxes. The provision applied only to New York State, and only to counties outside of New York City.[71][72] Tenney argued the overall bill would lower insurance costs, including insurance premiums and related taxes.[71]

On December 17, 2017, Tenney voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,[73][74] which passed both houses of Congress and was signed into law by Trump.[75] The main provisions of the law include a reduction of the top personal income tax rate from 39.6% to 37%, the elimination of the ACA's individual mandate, the limitation of the state and local tax deduction to $10,000 of taxable income, an increase in the standard deduction, and a reduction in the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%.[76] The reduction of the corporate tax rate is permanent. The personal income tax cuts are temporary.[77] In October 2017, Tenney joined other members of Congress and Ivanka Trump at an event to advocate for doubling the child tax credit;[78][79] this provision was included in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.[76]