U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) came up well short in her bid to become the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, an influential position that would have given her an elevated platform.
In a private vote among the House Democrats’ Steering and Policy Committee on Monday, House Democrats voted to nominate longtime U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) for the position, according to a report from Axios. The move represents a significant setback for Ocasio-Cortez, though the full Democratic Party caucus will still need to vote on whether to approve the committee’s nomination.
It is rare for a full caucus to rebuke a steering committee’s nomination — which is closely aligned with party leadership — though such a move is not without precedent.
The final vote was not particularly close, with Connolly defeating Ocasio-Cortez by a final tally of 34-27, according to multiple lawmakers who were present for the vote.
Despite the significant setback, AOC has vowed to continue her pursuit of the key position.
As ranking member, the progressive lawmaker would be the most senior member on the House Oversight Committee, which is tasked with ensuring efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of federal agencies. The ranking member plays a