Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced Friday that she would run against Gerrald Connelly for the top Democratic post on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. Via the New York Times:
If she succeeds and is chosen as the panel’s ranking member, the 35-year-old congresswoman would be by far the youngest Democrat to help lead a House committee. She would gain a platform not only to investigate President-elect Donald J. Trump’s administration but also to help her party chart a path back from electoral defeat.
“Democrats will face an important task: We must balance our focus on the incoming president’s corrosive actions and corruption with a tangible fight to make life easier for America’s working class,” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez wrote in a letter to colleagues. “I will lead by example by always keeping the lives of everyday Americans at the center of our work.”
But first she must contend with Representative Gerald E. Connolly, 74, a pugnacious, well-liked eight-term incumbent from Virginia who has pitched himself as a more seasoned investigator.
I’ve been very impressed by AOC’s growth and ability to straddle the line between the Democratic party and the voters. I can only see good things coming out of this if she wins, because she is absolutely the best communicator in the Democratic party.
