New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez launched her bid to be the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee Friday as the party undergoes a wave of "anxiety" and younger members seek to replace veteran ones.
If she wins her bid, Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the progressive Democratic group the "squad" and who reached mainstream fame by critiquing the party, would be by far the youngest Democrat to help lead a House committee, at 35 years old. She would also gain a platform to not only investigate President-elect Donald Trump's administration, but also to help her party forward as they come to terms with electoral defeat.
"This is not a position I seek lightly. The responsibility of leading Democrats on the House Oversight Committee during Donald Trump's second term in the White House is a profound and consequential one," the Bronx, who is of Puerto Rican descent, said.
"In the 119th Congress, Oversight Committee Democrats will face an important task: we must balance our focus on the incoming president's corrosive actions and corruption with a tangible fight to make life easier for America's working class," she continued.
She will go for the position against Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, a 74-year-old, well-liked eight-term incumbent from Virginia who has pitched himself as a more seasoned investigator. They will seek to fill the post currently held by Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who is leaving her current position and running to be the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.
While Democrats will remain a minority when the 119th Congress convenes, whoever wins their bid will be in line to chair the powerful committee if Democrats retake the House in 2026, halfway through Trump's term.
Ocasio-Cortez has undeniably become more fond of her party. Earlier this year, she received a prime-time speaking slot at this year's Democratic National Convention and served as a prominent surrogate for Vice President Kamala Harris's presidential campaign, breaking with some of her fellow leftists and "squad" members along the way. But will her colleagues now return the favor and elevate her to a top position? That remains in question.
"When you have a secret ballot vote, there are a lot of mixed motives," Henry A. Warman, a retired California congressman known for his own leadership in the Oversight Committee and for challenging the House's seniority system, told The New York Times.
"She is so much in the minds of American voters as an example of the left wing of the Democratic Party," he added. "Members of the caucus have to decide if it helps or hurts the party's future if she becomes leader of that committee, especially since she would have absolute control over what agenda she wants to pursue."
AOC's candidacy comes amid an emerging trend from younger House Democrats breaking ranks and challenging their older colleagues amid anxiety over the incoming Trump administration and an early indication of where the party wants to position itself ahead of the 2026 midterms, according to Axios.
"There is growing anxiousness among younger members to get their chance," one senior House Democrat told Axios.
The House Democrats' steering committee is expected to meet sometime this month to make recommendations for committee leadership. The full House Democratic caucus will then meet to vote on whether to approve those choices.
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