Update:
On Tuesday, the Democratic faction in the House selected Representative Gerry Connolly over Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for the leading Democratic position on the House Oversight Committee for the upcoming legislative session.
The outcome of the confidential vote was reported by Axios as 131 votes for Connolly (D-Va.) and 84 for Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).
Following the election results, the New York progressive expressed on social media, “Tried my best. Sorry I couldn’t pull it through everyone—we live to fight another day.”
In a statement, Connolly expressed gratitude to his peers for their trust and support, allowing him to spearhead the Democratic efforts on the Oversight Committee, which will remain under Republican control until at least 2026.
“We are familiar with the strategies the Republicans will employ. We have witnessed it before,” Connolly remarked. “They are known for indulging in discredited conspiracy theories and supporting the most egregious policies of the Trump administration. We are entering a period of trench warfare. This is no time for timidity.”
He further pledged, “I assure the American public that our committee’s Democrats will stand as a pillar of truth and will be ready from the get-go to address the Republican distortions. We will maintain focus and discipline, concentrating on the pivotal issues that impact Americans the most at their kitchen tables. We will defend our democracy, uphold the truth, and safeguard the significant progress made by the House Democrats.”
Earlier:
Representative Gerry Connolly edged out Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a preliminary secret-ballot vote on Monday for the top Democratic position on the House Oversight Committee for the forthcoming Congress. However, Ocasio-Cortez still has a chance to secure the role during a full Democratic caucus vote scheduled for Tuesday.
Connolly’s campaign for the key oversight position, which is poised to play an essential role in probing the incoming Trump administration, received backing from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), a figure who has often been at odds with Ocasio-Cortez and other progressives over policy matters.
The House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, behind closed doors, voted 34-27 on Monday to recommend Connolly over Ocasio-Cortez for the oversight role. While full caucus votes generally align with the steering panel’s recommendations, Politico noted that two Democratic allies of Ocasio-Cortez predicted that the full caucus—comprising younger members more likely to support the 35-year-old liberal—might lean in her favor.
Politico reported that Connolly garnered strong support from centrist Democrats after weeks of campaigning among key members and securing support from significant factions like the centrist New Democrat Coalition.
Ocasio-Cortez, meanwhile, is supported by the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which includes roughly 100 members, as well as the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. She also won the majority backing of members on the House Oversight Committee, which will be under Republican control through at least 2026.
Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) stated on social media late Monday that he, among many others in the House Democratic caucus, would support Ocasio-Cortez in Tuesday’s vote.
“AOC is objectively a more effective communicator and narrative creator than almost anyone else in her party, and certainly more so than Connolly,” was a sentiment echoed by many of her supporters.
After Monday’s steering panel vote, Ocasio-Cortez told reporters she was fully committed and working diligently. “We are still in this,” she posted on social media. “This is the challenging business of hope and defying expectation. We do not give up. We run through the tape.”
In private, Ocasio-Cortez, who initially won her Congressional seat by defeating a high-ranking Democrat, has “signaled” to her colleagues that she might no longer endorse congressional primary challenges against them, as per Politico, which cited three anonymous sources familiar with her remarks.
The contest between Connolly and Ocasio-Cortez is widely viewed as a clash between the younger, more progressive wing of the Democratic Party and the established leaders, who seem determined to retain control. In recent days, Pelosi has reportedly been “actively working to undermine” Ocasio-Cortez’s chances of securing the oversight role by lobbying in favor of Connolly.
In a column for Slate on Tuesday, Alexander Sammon criticized Pelosi and other top establishment Democrats for supporting Connolly over Ocasio-Cortez, describing it as a poor strategic move. “With Trump in office, the role of Oversight will be critically important, especially for a party desperate to convince voters of their capability to handle corruption,” Sammon wrote. “AOC’s exceptional communication skills and her ability to articulate outrage and injustice are qualities sorely missing at the higher levels of the party.”
Sammon added, “Pelosi’s knack for behind-the-scenes manipulation was welcomed when she pushed fellow octogenarian and potential loser Joe Biden out of the presidential race; it’s harder to justify when blocking a highly qualified rising star, who is undeniably a pillar of the party’s future, from a deserved promotion.”
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