Elise Stefanik is only 30 years old, and she will be the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. Stefanik defeated Democrat Aaron Woolf to win the seat vacated by Democrat Bill Owen in New York's 21st congressional district.

As a "millennial" herself who won the GOP nomination at the tender age of 29 years old, Stefanik reaped the benefits of a year in which young voters who were expected to turn out at the polling places suggested a lean toward Republicans. She said she sees her youthful persona as boon and expects to use it to her advantage in the halls of Congress.

"I'm really interested in having a conversation with other new millennial candidates, hopefully, whether they're Republican or Democrat, about our nation's debt and spending - because my generation will inherit the spending," Stefanik said.

Stefanik told CBS News that she plans to reach across the aisle. "I think there's an opportunity to work more effectively on a bipartisan basis on the big issues."