AOC defeated by Connolly in battle for Oversight role
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at a House Oversight Committee hearing on June 12, 2019. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call.
House Democrats on Tuesday elected Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) as the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, according to multiple lawmakers familiar with the matter.
Why it matters: Connolly, 74, defeated 35-year-old Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), withstanding a generational revolt that saw several of Democrats' septuagenarian committee leaders pushed out of their roles.
- Ocasio-Cortez, one of House Democrats' most high-profile members, also lost a vote of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee on Monday.
Driving the news: Connolly defeated Ocasio-Cortez 131-84, lawmakers told Axios.
- He had the backing of several veteran lawmakers, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
- The role came open after current Oversight ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) opted to run for the top Democratic spot on the Judiciary Committee.
What we're hearing: Connolly hinged his case on experience and his political ability, including arguing that he helped make Virginia a blue state, according to multiple lawmakers who heard his pitch.
- "He's been the ranking member-in-waiting," is how Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), who supported Connolly, summed up the Virginian's case.
- Ocasio-Cortez emphasized her far-reaching public platform, her ability to communicate and her energetic support for colleagues in recent congressional elections, lawmakers said.
Between the lines: Lawmakers who supported Connolly acknowledged that his relative seniority over Ocasio-Cortez played a big role — as did his Steering Committee victory the day earlier.
- "It's been 10 years since we resisted a Steering Committee recommendation," noted Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), a staunch Connolly ally.
- The full caucus voted in 2014 to shrug off steering's recommendation that Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) lead the Energy and Commerce Committee and elected Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) instead.
Zoom in: One issue Ocasio-Cortez had to confront was her past support for primary challengers to incumbent House Democrats — a sore subject for many lawmakers.
- She was pressed on the issue in Monday's Steering and Policy Committee meeting, according to one House Democrat, who said she pledged not to continue the practice.
- "She rattled off all the stats: 'I've raised over a million dollars for members, I've paid all my [DCCC] dues, I was one of the most active surrogates for the Biden and Harris campaigns,'" the lawmaker said.
The other side: "I'm disappointed. I know Gerry will do a great job. But there's no substitute for having someone in that position that literally has millions of Americans following her" on social media, said Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.), an Ocasio-Cortez ally.
- "I think that the seniority issue in this building gets in the way. Our people back home, they don't care about seniority," Balint added.
- Both candidates' supporters predicted that Ocasio-Cortez would be elevated to a leadership role in the not-so-distant future.
The bottom line: Connolly's trademark vigor made colleagues comfortable that he could take on the Trump administration despite his age and recent cancer diagnosis, multiple lawmakers told Axios.
- Said Connolly: "We're looking at capability, we're not looking at age, is somebody capable, irrespective of how old they are and if they bring energy and enthusiasm."
- "Gerry's a young 74, cancer notwithstanding," said Beyer.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
