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3mo ago

Ocasio-Cortez Declines Bid for Top Oversight Committee Role

Citing entrenched seniority norms, the progressive congresswoman opts to remain on the Energy and Commerce Committee as the race for a new ranking member heats up.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., during a news conference on Capitol Hill, on May 24, 2023.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks a town hall gathering in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens, NY, May 2, 2025.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Hakeem Jeffries. (Getty)
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Overview

  • Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced she will not pursue the ranking member position on the House Oversight Committee, citing the Democratic caucus's emphasis on seniority.
  • The decision follows Rep. Gerry Connolly's announcement that he will step back from his Oversight duties due to a recurrence of esophageal cancer and will not seek reelection.
  • Ocasio-Cortez, who previously lost a bid for the position to Connolly in December, stated that the caucus dynamics remain unchanged, making another challenge unlikely to succeed.
  • Interim ranking member Stephen Lynch has expressed interest in permanently filling the role, with potential competition from Reps. Jasmine Crockett, Robert Garcia, and Maxwell Frost.
  • The Oversight Committee's ranking member post holds significant influence, particularly for the minority party, as it oversees investigations into the administration's activities.