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House Democrats Choose Gerry Connolly for Leadership Role Amid Calls for Change
In a recent closed-door session, House Democrats elected 74-year-old Rep. Gerry Connolly to lead the influential House Oversight Committee for the upcoming term, despite mounting pressures for a fresher, younger leadership ahead of the potential re-election bid of Donald Trump.
Connolly secured the top Democratic position against 35-year-old Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has been vocal about ushering in the next generation of leaders within the party. With 16 years of experience on the committee, Connolly received a majority of votes, winning 131-84.
Following the vote, Connolly expressed to reporters that his colleagues prioritized experience, capability, and a reliable track record, which influenced their decision to support him over Ocasio-Cortez.
Earlier on Monday, Connolly earned the backing of a Democratic advisory panel responsible for committee recommendations. Ocasio-Cortez and her supporters contended that the initial close vote allowed her to remain in contention, leading to a second attempt at the full caucus meeting on Tuesday.
In a social media post following the outcome, Ocasio-Cortez remarked: “Tried my best. Sorry I couldn’t pull it through everyone — we live to fight another day.”
Rep. Annie Kuster, chair of the New Democratic Coalition, shared that several of her members from swing districts had reservations about Ocasio-Cortez’s prior commitment to challenge fellow Democrats in primary elections, despite her promise not to do so during the closed meetings.
Kuster noted: “I think there are members that very much want this generational change but I think, members who had only been here a couple of terms gave them pause.” This highlights the tension between the desire for new leadership and the caution exercised by some Democratic members.
Ocasio-Cortez’s defeat occurs against a backdrop where other younger Democrats successfully secured key ranking positions, signaling a generational shift that has taken on heightened urgency following the Democrats’ electoral setbacks, which resulted in Republicans gaining full control of Washington starting January.
Rep. Angie Craig from Minnesota, who emerged as the leading Democrat on Agriculture, stated: “I think we’re all starting to realize that we can’t do things exactly the way we’ve always done them here in the Democratic Party.”
Rep. Jared Huffman, age 60, who unseated a 74-year-old incumbent to become the top Democrat on Natural Resources, referred to his and Craig’s success as a sign of “healthy” generational change, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a collaborative, multi-generational approach within the party.
The ranking position on the Oversight Committee will be passed over by Rep. Jamie Raskin, who relinquished the seat to pursue the top Democratic role on the House Judiciary Committee. Both the Oversight and Judiciary committees hold significant influence, especially as Democrats prepare to counter the Republican agenda in the upcoming Congress.
Despite facing scrutiny regarding his recent cancer diagnosis, Connolly affirmed his ability to fulfill his responsibilities. According to Rep. Don Beyer, one of the nominators, Connolly reassured colleagues of his health and capability to lead effectively, drawing on his experiences as a cancer survivor during discussions.
Kuster corroborated Connolly’s commitment by mentioning that he had assured colleagues that he would step down if he felt unable to carry out his duties.
Many of Connolly’s supporters, including Connolly himself, refuted the idea that the election outcome stemmed from a generational dispute within the party, emphasizing the importance of experience as a crucial factor in leadership decisions ahead of significant national challenges.
An earlier version of this story misstated the committee roles for Angie Craig and Jared Huffman. Craig was selected to be the top Democrat on Agriculture. Huffman became the top Democrat on Natural Resources.
Source
abcnews.go.com