Leftists across the country continue to take their lumps. It’s been a rough month for them since the 2024 elections.
And a leading Democrat congresswoman suffers a humiliating defeat she may never recover from.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has lost her bid to become the leading Democrat on the powerful House Oversight Committee after falling short in two crucial votes to Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA).
The outcome marks a setback for progressive Democrats and younger lawmakers who have pushed for generational change within the party after the 2024 election.
Frustrated by losses in key races and dwindling blue-collar support for President-elect Donald Trump, many Democrats hoped Ocasio-Cortez’s leadership would signal a turning point.
Ocasio-Cortez’s defeat began Monday night when the Democratic steering committee selected Connolly, 74, over the New York congresswoman. Connolly enjoyed strong backing from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), a major force within the party.
Traditionally, the full Democratic caucus follows the steering committee’s recommendation. However, Ocasio-Cortez, 35, rallied hard ahead of Tuesday’s vote, encouraging colleagues to break with tradition.
“We are still in this,” she wrote on social media. “We do not give up.”
Despite her efforts, the full Democratic conference handed Connolly a decisive victory, voting 131-84 to make him the ranking member on the Oversight Committee. One member confirmed the result to the Washington Examiner.
Speaking after the vote, Ocasio-Cortez accepted the outcome. “The party made its choice,” she told the Washington Examiner Tuesday afternoon.
Connolly, who has served on the Oversight Committee for 16 years, explained to reporters that his win came about because his colleagues measured “their votes by who’s got experience, who [is] seasoned, who can be trusted, who’s capable, and who’s got a record of productivity. And I think that prevailed.”
Ocasio-Cortez had garnered significant support from the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Meanwhile, Connolly drew backing from the centrist New Democrat Coalition.
Pelosi, despite recovering from a hip fracture over the weekend, reportedly lobbied on Connolly’s behalf, which likely solidified his win.
This defeat represents a blow to younger Democrats who have been advocating for new leadership within the party.
Recent contests had shown some success in this effort: Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), 62, secured the ranking member role on the House Judiciary Committee, unseating veteran Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY). Additionally, Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN), 52, won leadership of the Agriculture Committee over Rep. David Scott (D-GA), while Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) is set to replace longtime leader Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ).
However, Connolly’s victory signals resistance within the Democratic caucus to fully embrace the change pushed by younger progressives and “Squad” members.
Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA) downplayed the leadership contests’ broader implications, describing the results as “part of our organizational process electing ranking members.”
“We’re in the Democratic caucus,” Aguilar told reporters. “There are different ideas and viewpoints within the caucus, but we’re moving forward, and this is part of our internal process. We will now populate committees and get ready for the 119th Congress.”
As ranking member, Connolly will take on a high-profile role, serving as the chief Democratic counterweight to Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) in the new Congress.
Stay tuned to Prudent Politics.
