In a surprising turn of events, Rep.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is reportedly on the verge of losing her bid to lead the Democratic minority on the House Oversight Committee.
This unexpected development is allegedly due to the behind-the-scenes machinations of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who has been subtly undermining Ocasio-Cortez's campaign for the position.
According to Raw Story, this "backroom sabotage" is a worrying sign for the Democratic party. Alexander Sammon, a writer for Slate, suggests that this is not a result of a genuine debate over who is best suited to lead the committee. Instead, it appears to be a manifestation of a longstanding grudge Pelosi holds against Ocasio-Cortez, and a reluctance to pass the leadership baton to a new generation. "Pelosi now appears to be score-settling over a feud with Ocasio-Cortez that is six years old," Sammon wrote.
In the aftermath of November's elections, House Democrats signaled a readiness for a leadership change in some of the key House committees. This included Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) stepping aside for younger leaders. However, when Ocasio-Cortez expressed interest in the Oversight role and began to garner support, the situation took a different turn.
Sammon wrote, "Not one to let a young person ascend quietly, Nancy Pelosi entered the fray." Despite her supposed retirement from leadership, Pelosi has reportedly thrown her support behind 74-year-old Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly, who was recently diagnosed with throat cancer. "Now, Pelosi is whipping votes for Connolly, whose potential promotion would cap off this 'changing of the guard' by replacing a 61-year-old with a guy in his mid-70s," Sammon added.
Ocasio-Cortez's progressive stance has caused discomfort among more centrist lawmakers. However, Sammon argues that she is ideally suited for the Oversight role. "During a second Trump presidency, Oversight will be one of the most important bully pulpits to expose and interrogate the incoming administrations flagrant corruption," he wrote. Ocasio-Cortez, who already serves on the Oversight committee, has a proven track record of challenging Trump allies.
While Connolly has a wealth of experience on the committee and a positive reputation for his work during the Obama years, Sammon points out that Ocasio-Cortez has a significantly larger following. "Ocasio-Cortez has 8.1 million followers. Connolly has 4,600," he noted.
Pelosi played a key role in building the consensus to dissuade President Joe Biden from running for a second term. However, Sammon suggests that these tactics are harder to justify when used against a qualified rising star like Ocasio-Cortez, who is widely recognized as a key figure in the party's future. This situation raises questions about the Democratic party's willingness to embrace change and the potential consequences of internal power struggles.
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