Senate Democrats appear to be warming up to Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), President-elect Trump’s combative and confrontational nominee for envoy to the United Nations, encouraged by commitments she’ll engage with the global body rather than seek to burn it down.

Stefanik, who served as the third-ranking Republican leader in the House, has carved out a reputation as a bullish fighter, particularly on confronting instances of antisemitism, and is expected to make calling out anti-Israel bias at the UN a major focus of her posting.

“She made it very clear that she was accessible and she wasn’t walking away from the United Nations,” said Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who will question Stefanik during her confirmation hearing on Tuesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“I thought it was good she said she would engage with the U.N. and really take on the role,” the senator told The Hill following a meeting with Stefanik on Thursday morning. Duckworth said the congresswoman “did very well today with me.”

Stefanik has frequented Senate offices in recent weeks to discuss how she’ll approach the global diplomatic body, which Democrats view as an imperfect but important venue for engagement.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), another member of the foreign relations panel, said he had a “good, substantive meeting” with Stefanik last week, but said whether Democrats get on board with greenlighting a quick path........

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