Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez loses bid to serve as top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee

Progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lost her bid to serve as the top Democrat on the powerful House Oversight Committee on Tuesday, with veteran party member Gerry Connolly winning a majority of the House Democratic Caucus’ votes.

Ocasio-Cortez, 35, was one of several younger Democrats who ran for seats on key committees in a bid to defeat older Democrats vying for the positions.

Politico reported last week that Ocasio-Cortez has the support of the majority of Democrats on the Oversight Committee, which is “filled with younger, more progressive members who lean more toward her than Connolly.” Ultimately, it is the entire parliamentary group that decides who takes on leadership positions in the committees.

The House Democratic Steering Committee, which recommends committee roles to the full caucus, endorsed Connolly over Ocasio-Cortez in a 34-27 vote on Monday. And he won the overall caucus vote 131-84 on Tuesday, NBC News reported.

Last week, I outlined why I believe Ocasio-Cortez would be a good choice to lead Democrats on the committee that will be tasked with overseeing Donald Trump’s new administration. I was struck by her strong communication skills, her youth, her promise to combine the focus on Trump with a broader focus on improving the lives of Americans, and her bond with the late, esteemed former Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings.

But Democrats ultimately chose to keep an eye on the Trump administration in the next congressional session with Connolly, 74, drawing strong support from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and centrist Democrats.

Connolly, who announced last month that he had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, told reporters after his victory on Tuesday that he was “ready” to take on the Trump administration despite his health problems.

Trump “may feel more emboldened, but that may also make him more reckless,” Connolly said. “There is a law in this country and we will make sure it is enforced.”