Rep. Alexandria Ocaio-Cortez (D-NY) hopes to become the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, as current Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) looks to lead Democrats on the Judiciary Committee.
On Friday, Ocasio-Cortez launched her candidacy to become the Oversight Committee’s ranking member, writing a letter to fellow House Democrats asking for their support, as Axios first reported.
“I write to you today to seek your support to serve as Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability in the 119th Congress,” she wrote.
“This is not a position I seek lightly. The responsibility of leading Democrats on the House Oversight Committee during Donald Trump’s second term in the White House is a profound and consequential one,” the congresswoman continued.
Ocasio-Cortez has served as Raskin’s vice-ranking member in the current Congress and noted in her letter obtained by Axios that they “meticulously planned out the Committee’s strategy ” to counter Republicans.
Now that Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) has announced he will step down as ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, Raskin appears to be on a glide path to the post, barring an unforeseen legitimate challenge from a colleague.
That leaves the top Democrat Oversight Committee job for either Ocasio-Cortez or Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), whom she is challenging.
According to lawmakers Axios has spoken with, Ocasio-Cortez versus Connolly could make for a close contest.
“Lawmakers have told Axios it could be a tight race, and Connolly’s cancer diagnosis last month — he said he has no major symptoms but is undergoing treatment — may emerge as a factor,” the outlet’s Andrew Solender reported.
Ocasio-Cortez’s bid for the influential post comes as speculation has mounted she may be eyeing a White House bid in 2028. The Hill floated her as a potential Democrat presidential primary candidate in 2028, followed by former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) asserting she has planned for years to run next cycle.
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