Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is strongly considering a bid to become the top Democrat on the powerful Oversight and Accountability Committee, a pivotal seat that will play a prominent role in pushing back against the incoming Trump administration in the next Congress.
“I’m interested in jumping in, and I’m having a lot of conversations with my [colleagues],” Ocasio-Cortez told reporters Wednesday morning in the Capitol.
If she jumps into the race, it would set up a contest against Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who announced his candidacy for the seat Tuesday. The position is being vacated by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who is leaving to challenge Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) to become the senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.
Connolly has far more experience on Oversight, having served on the panel for all of the 16 years he’s been in Congress. He’s making the case that his long years and legislative successes on the committee makes him the best fit for the spot.
But Ocasio-Cortez, who was named the vice ranking member of the panel in the current Congress, is countering that Democrats need newer members and fresh ideas in more places of power — a trend that began last year when former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and her top deputies stepped out of leadership, allowing Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and his team to replace them.
“I think that this is just an important moment of generational change in the caucus,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
