Rep. Gerry Connolly’s victory over Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for the top Democratic position on the Oversight Committee illustrates the limits of the party’s demand for generational change, with an establishment centrist defeating a progressive standard-bearer.
While the victory went beyond ideology, there were simmering fears among centrists about how uplifting Ocasio-Cortez, an outspoken liberal who has previously gone viral during her moments on the panel, would be. There was also a sense that it was Connolly’s turn, after previously running for Oversight twice and serving on the panel for 15 years, according to interviews with eight Democratic lawmakers.
Connolly also used his strong relationships in the centrist New Democrat Coalition, considered the largest ideological bloc in the caucus, to build significant support following Ocasio-Cortez’s early rise. Incoming new Democratic Coalition Chairman Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) made the call on Connolly’s behalf after the group’s endorsement Friday, saying one person had been granted anonymity to discuss the private outreach.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi also called other lawmakers on his behalf — a factor that other lawmakers said was important but not nearly as decisive as Connolly’s own relationships during the caucus.
“The members come together and make these decisions. Members make individual decisions,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.). “I have seen leadership play a role in caucus races, winning some and losing some.”
Connolly’s internal count of about 130 lawmakers, reported by POLITICO on Friday, almost exactly mirrored the final count of 131 votes for him on Tuesday morning.
Ocasio-Cortez’s allies had projected early confidence in the race and had hoped to capitalize on the post-election appetite for change in the caucus. But while other members of the rankings largely favored or stepped aside for younger challengers, members still largely felt it wasn’t right to bypass the 74-year-old Connolly for the 35-year-old progressive darling. And despite calls for a change in leadership and some concerns about Connolly’s recent cancer diagnosis, Democrats in the House of Representatives are not entirely willing to abandon their commitment to seniority.
“I think it’s a challenge to completely abandon the seniority system here because when seniority is not the rule, money becomes the rule,” said Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), who was the first Democrat to run for President Joe Biden reportedly dropped his re-election bid earlier this year.
Lawmakers reaffirmed their decision to override other senior committee leaders even as they elevated Connolly Tuesday morning and elected Reps. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.) as members to succeed lawmakers who had faced questions about their health and participation in Congress.
Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, a former top Democratic leader, spoke out during the caucus in support of deferring to seniority. He said he was doing so on behalf of Pelosi, who was absent from Tuesday’s rallies while she recovered from hip replacement surgery after a fall. In addition to Connolly, Pelosi also endorsed Huffman and Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.), who failed to take the top position on the Agriculture Committee, as part of an effort by the California delegation to support their own. .
“Just because you’re a senior doesn’t necessarily mean you have the capabilities,” Hoyer said after the election. “But if you have the ability, seniority certainly reflects the service, experience and knowledge of the committee, and I think that may have made the difference in the Connolly race.”
In the run-up to the vote, Ocasio-Cortez had tried to allay the concerns of centrists in the party. She indicated Monday to Steering and Policy Committee members who ultimately recommended Connolly for the spot that she could stop supporting primary challengers to sitting lawmakers.
“I think a lot of members know that Ocasio-Cortez would be the best, but I think there is some heartburn among New Dems and [moderates] she would put them in a difficult position by taking a hard line on cultural issues,” said a neutral Democratic leadership aide, granted anonymity to speak candidly.
Ocasio-Cortez’s loss left her allies furious. Hill progressives hailed the New Yorker’s power to mobilize millions on social media and cited her skills as a communicator as a huge advantage for a job that will largely consist of pushing out messages against the right.
“There is one person in our caucus who has the ear of millions and millions of people with just the touch of her finger, and that is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,” said Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.).
And some members warned against expecting Tuesday’s elections to mark the end of the party’s intergenerational struggle.
“Those of us who have recently been raised in Congress understand that the American people are fed up with seniority issues,” Balint added. “No one in our districts cares about the relationships in the building.”
