Democratic Party leadership appears to finally be recognizing the talents of progressive darling Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). On Monday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that he believes AOC would “be a very compelling candidate” if she chose to run for the top House Oversight and Government Reform Committee spot. “We’ll see what decisions Gerry Connolly makes moving forward. We’re praying for him. He’s in the battle of his life, as he has indicated, and we’ll see what decisions he makes moving forward,” he said to reporters. “If there’s a vacancy at some point, which we know there will be based on the fact that Rep. Connolly has said he’s not seeking reelection, then there will be a number of strong candidates who will move forward,” he said. “Rep. Ocasio-Cortez will, of course, be a very compelling candidate, were she to make that decision to run.” However, he did not go so far as to endorse her for the seat, saying that a number of Democrats will likely be running for the seat. He also made sure to stress that Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) still occupies the seat despite distancing himself from his responsibilities as he battles esophageal cancer. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) has already been tapped by Connolly to serve as the interim ranking member, with Lynch making it clear that he plans to pursue the seat if and when the time comes. Occupying the influential spot would be a boon for any Democrat, especially those who want to go after President Donald Trump and his administration. AOC has been a member of the Oversight Committee before, having previously chosen to transfer to the Energy and Commerce Committee, which largely focuses on environmental issues, something AOC has been very vocal about.
CONTINUE READING
