Home Democratic veteran Rep. Gerry Connolly fended off a problem from progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Tuesday, placing the Virginia Democrat in line to grow to be the Home Oversight Committee’s top-ranked Democrat within the new Congress.
Connolly has served on the Oversight Committee since 2009 and has led Democrats on the subcommittee on authorities operations since 2013. He introduced on Nov. 7 that he was identified with esophagus most cancers, opening the door for a problem from Ocasio-Cortez.
Regardless of these well being challenges, Connolly gained by a vote of 131-84, in line with a number of Democratic sources — cementing his position in one of the high-profile positions in Washington to fight the incoming Trump administration and a unified Republican majority in Congress.
Ocasio-Cortez has served on the Oversight Committee since her first time period in 2019 when she took Capitol Hill by storm as a pacesetter of the so-called Squad. Regardless of the defeat immediately, she remains to be poised to tackle a distinguished position on the panel within the 119th Congress.
On this April 2, 2019, file picture, Rep. Gerry Connolly talks with Reps Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Robin Kelly, and Ayanna Pressley after the Home Oversight and Reform Committee voted to subpoena the White Home about safety clearances whereas assembly on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
Carlos Barria/Reuters
Connolly mentioned he is able to tackle the Trump administration.
“He [Trump] could really feel extra emboldened, however which will additionally make him extra reckless,” Connolly mentioned. “There’s a legislation on this land and we’re going to verify it is enforced.”
“Our technique goes to be to inform the reality and if that hurts then we all know we’ve made our mark,” he mentioned.
Connolly mentioned he was in a position to defeat AOC as a result of, “I believe my colleagues have been measuring their votes by who’s received expertise, who’s seasoned, who may be trusted, who’s succesful on it, who’s received a document of productiveness. And I believe that prevailed.”
Connolly gained an preliminary advice Monday night from the Home Democratic Steering Committee to guide Democrats on the panel within the subsequent Congress over AOC by a vote depend of 34-27.
In defiance of that advice, Ocasio-Cortez requested the total caucus to vote on the competition.
The outcomes come as Democrats endure a post-election reckoning following Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss to President-elect Donald Trump — a interval of soul-searching that has put a noticeable dent in Home Democrats’ conventional deference to seniority for committee assignments.
On this Jan. 31, 2023, file picture, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez arrives for a gathering of the Home Oversight and Reform Committee within the Rayburn Home Workplace Constructing in Washington, D.C. | Rep. Gerry Connolly prepares to provide a tv interview on Capitol Hill, Dec. 12, 2024.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Photographs | Politico through AP
Democrats to date have already opted for youthful, extra junior Democrats to leap the road to function the highest get together member of the Judiciary, Agriculture and Pure Assets committees, strikes that amounted to vital shakeups on Capitol Hill.
The maneuvering comes as Democrats put together for battle with the Trump administration subsequent 12 months, with members hopeful that youthful, extra energetic voices would be capable of higher carry the get together message into what are anticipated to be high-profile coverage fights, even when Democrats are caught within the minority.
Nevertheless, when it got here to the Oversight Committee, Democrats appeared to nonetheless prioritize Connolly’s standing regardless of his well being points over Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive and efficient communicator however somebody who has emerged as a distinguished boogeyman for nationwide Republicans.
Total, Democrats have chosen 5 ladies to be rating members on committees within the subsequent Congress, together with a number of individuals of shade, whereas Republicans have tapped zero ladies.
