AOC faces Pelosi-led slugfest for Oversight role
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaking at a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 19, 2024. Photo: Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is facing strong headwinds – including opposition from House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) – as she tries to become the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.
Why it matters: Senior Democrats say that while Ocasio-Cortez is seen as the favorite over Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), the race is still in play.
- The fight comes as several septuagenarian committee ranking members are facing desperate battles against – or yielding to – younger challengers.
- "Many members are concerned about [the] precedent these races are setting," one senior House Democrat told Axios.
What we're hearing: Pelosi has been approaching colleagues urging them to back Connolly over Ocasio-Cortez, according to two House Democrats with direct knowledge of her outreach.
- Connolly, 74, and Ocasio-Cortez, 35, are facing off to replace current Oversight Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.).
- Punchbowl News was first to report Pelosi's advocacy for Connolly. A Pelosi spokesperson did not offer a comment to Axios.
State of play: One House Democrat familiar with Ocasio-Cortez's whip count said she "has pretty much the entire [Oversight] Committee with her."
- That is something that House Democrats' Steering Committee – which meets Tuesday to make its recommendations – will take seriously, the lawmaker said.
- Another House Democrat said their "gut tells me she gets it" and that Connolly's cancer diagnosis last month is "working against him."
- Still, lawmakers stressed that it is not a firm lock, noting that the full Democratic caucus has to vote on whether to approve the Steering Committee's suggestions.
Zoom out: Several younger Democrats have used the threat of the incoming Trump administration to topple some of the party's oldest ranking members.
- Raskin, 61, succeeded in getting Judiciary Committee ranking member Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), 74, to step down from his post.
- So did Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), 60, with Natural Resources Committee ranking member Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), 76, though he now faces a challenge from 45-year-old Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.).
- Agriculture Committee ranking member David Scott (D-Ga.), 79, is seen as likely to fall to one of his two challengers: Reps. Jim Costa (D-Calif.), 72, or Angie Craig (D-Minn.), 52.
Flashback: Pelosi told Axios last week that she was supporting "some" insurgent challenges against incumbent ranking members.
- She has been making calls on behalf of Costa, her fellow Californian, two House Democrats familiar with the matter told Axios.
