In a private vote highlighting ongoing tensions within the Democratic ranks, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) defeated Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) to secure the nomination for ranking member of the influential House Oversight Committee.
The 131-84 vote decided by Democrats in the lower chamber dealt a decisive blow to Ocasio-Cortez’s aspirations for a role that would have elevated her voice within the party and granted her a larger platform for oversight of federal agencies. Last night, Ocasio-Cortez also lost the vote taken by members of the Steering and Policy Committee, which represented an endorsement for Connolly by party leadership.
