Progressive superstar Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) faced a stinging defeat Tuesday in her bid to chair the powerful House Oversight Committee.
The role instead went to veteran lawmaker Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), signaling the Democratic Party’s preference for experience and centrism as it braces for Republican control of Congress and the incoming Trump administration.
Connolly, 74, secured the role following a vote by the House Democratic caucus, bolstered by the endorsement of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee.
Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez, 35, who has served as the No. 2 Democrat on the committee for two years, fell short in her campaign to ascend to the leadership position.
“Tried my best. Sorry I couldn’t pull it through everyone — we live to fight another day,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on her BlueSky account, conceding the loss.
Connolly’s victory highlights the growing divide within the Democratic Party, as its establishment wing consolidates power against the rising progressive movement.
A long-serving representative of a suburban Northern Virginia district, Connolly has been a key member of the Oversight Committee since joining Congress in 2009.
“We know what the Republican playbook will be. We have seen it before,” Connolly said after his victory.
“This will be trench warfare. Now is not the time to be timid. I promise the American people that our Committee Democrats will be a beacon of truth and prepared from Day One to counter Republican gaslighting.”
Connolly emphasized that his leadership would focus on discipline and addressing “kitchen table issues” while vowing to counter the GOP’s anticipated investigations into the Biden administration.
Ocasio-Cortez’s loss is another setback for the progressive wing of the party, which has struggled to break through the establishment’s grip on leadership positions.
While she remains a darling of the far-left base, Ocasio-Cortez failed to garner sufficient support among centrist Democrats, many of whom favored Connolly’s extensive investigative experience and pragmatic approach.
Behind the scenes, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is believed to have played a role in securing Connolly’s victory.
Pelosi, who has had a reportedly tense relationship with Ocasio-Cortez since the latter’s 2018 primary upset over Pelosi ally Joe Crowley, is said to have favored Connolly as a steady hand to lead the party’s oversight efforts.
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