Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez jumped into the race to be the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, according to a letter she sent to her colleagues Friday.
“I write to you today to seek your support to serve as Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability in the 119th Congress,” she wrote.
The New York Democrat will face Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia to succeed Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who’s likely to become the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. Democrats increasingly believe she’s entering the race with a sizable bloc of support and could win the Steering and Policy Committee recommendation and the full caucus election. But it’s not in the bag yet — Connolly’s camp is projecting confidence as well.
The 35-year-old outspoken progressive has often bucked party leaders and came to Congress by ousting a powerful committee chair herself. Since then, she’s learned to play the inside track in the Democratic Caucus, working with colleagues and leadership and stumping for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. She’s served as the vice-ranking member of the Oversight Committee this Congress under Raskin, whom she is close to.
House Democrats are expected to start the process of selecting new committee leaders and members next week.
Recommendations on committee heads will be made by the Steering and Policy Committee, a powerful and under-the-radar panel that is set to considerexclusive committee appointments like the Ways and Means panel next week, and then the remaining committees the week after. The second batch includes multiple contested top Democratic spots.
The steering panel will first hold a secret ballot vote to recommend a committee leader, then the full caucus will vote on the leadership slot.
