Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), a high-profile member of the leftist “Squad,” suffered a major setback on Monday in her bid to become the top Democrat on the powerful House Oversight Committee.
Her colleague, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), earned more support in a vote by members of the Democrats’ Steering and Policy Committee. Multiple journalists, citing insider sources, said the final tally was 34-27.
POLITICO reported the full caucus is expected to have a final vote on Tuesday and noted that such a vote typically matches the steering panel’s recommendation. However, the outcome is not a sure thing.
“AOC has a really shot to win inside full Democratic Caucus. That’s a ‘better room’ for her, says one Democrat,” Punchbowl News co-founder John Bresnahan shared in posts to X on Monday.
He added: “Sources close to AOC says she intends to move ahead with this contest in the full Democratic Caucus despite Steering Cmte vote. AOC feels good about her chances of winning, per sources.”
Ocasio-Cortez and Connolly are competing to take on the role left behind by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), who opted instead to campaign for the ranking member position on the House Judiciary Committee.
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), who has held either the chairman or ranking member position in the panel for the past several years, bowed out of the race after Raskin began to vie for the top spot.
The Oversight Committee, which will again be commanded by the GOP next year, has a stated mission to “ensure the efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability of the federal government and all its agencies.”
Ocasio-Cortez, currently the vice ranking member of the Oversight Committee, is seeking to move up amid reports of a push within the Democratic Party to pave the way for younger members to lead.
The 35-year-old spoke about pushing back on President-elect Donald Trump’s second-term agenda in a letter to Democrat colleagues announcing her campaign to become the ranking member.
Oversight Committee Democrats “must balance our focus on the incoming president’s corrosive actions and corruption with a tangible fight to make life easier for America’s working class,” she wrote.
Axios and others have reported that Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi(D-CA), who underwent hip surgery after falling over the weekend, has been urging Democrats to support 74-year-old Connolly.
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