I “matured,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), 35, reportedly told Democrat bosses when she sought the top spot on the House Oversight Committee.
That was her closing pitch to party bosses, who worried Ocasio-Cortez was not ready for one of the most powerful posts in Congress, two sources told the Washington Post’s Leigh Ann Caldwell and Paul Kane.
Ocasio-Cortez’s pitch failed, and Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) soundly defeated her to become a ranking member of the House Oversight Committee. The bitter defeat is a win for the establishment, which is tightly controlled by party bosses who are often at odds with the congresswoman’s anti-establishment views.
Ocasio-Cortez tried to become an accepted member of the Democrat establishment during the last cycle by vocally defending the Biden family from Republican probes into its business dealings, but her political tact did not appear to pay off. Democrat vote against her with a vote of 131-84 on the House floor.
WATCH — Meltdown! AOC Asks Hunter’s Partner If He Saw Joe Biden Commit Crime, Freaks Out When He Says “Yes”:
The defeat raises questions about Ocasio-Cortez’s future. Her star power among the Democrat base has not translated to the halls of Congress, where Democrat colleagues are perhaps jealous of her large following, the Post reported:
Ocasio-Cortez, who is among the most well-known Democrats and boasts a large and loyal following, has struggled to leverage her national prominence inside the halls of Congress. Some lawmakers are still resentful of her past divisive tactics while others harbor jealousy of the attention she receives, according to Democrats who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe party dynamics. But with the 119th Republican-led Congress gaveled in and Trump headed back to the White House this month, Democrats say it’s possible that Ocasio-Cortez, a common Republican foil, can leverage her national influence to become a leader in the party if she continues to build goodwill inside the Capitol.
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She is widely considered one of the most effective communicators in Congress, and she will continue to try to help working-class Americans — a group Vice President Kamala Harris struggled to sway during the presidential campaign. She plans to double down on her effort to reach disaffected voters and fight for those whom she sees as being hurt by Trump’s economic agenda, a person close to Ocasio-Cortez said.
…The next phase of Ocasio-Cortez’s career — which many expect could include her running for Senate, governor or even president — will depend on whether she can harness her star power and massive social media following to achieve political goals, lawmakers and aides say. While she is able to attract liberal fans and supporters online and at political events, she is now embracing the importance of building Democratic coalitions with people she works with every day.
Time is on the side of Ocasio-Cortez. She is only 35 while many of her colleagues are octogenarians, such as Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who recently broke her hip. If Ocasio-Cortez continues to plot a career in politics, and not exit for a lucrative venture in the private sector, her power will likely increase.
“Really too bad that AOC lost the Battle for the Leadership Seat in the Democrat Party,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after the House vote. “She should keep trying. Someday, she will be successful!”
“Damn you know it’s bad when even Trump is feeling bad for me,” Ocasio-Cortez responded, adding a laughing emoji.
Wendell Husebo is a political reporter with Breitbart News and a former RNC War Room Analyst. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality. Follow Wendell on “X” @WendellHusebø or on Truth Social @WendellHusebo.
