New York City’s House Democrats Say They Want Their Party to Lean on AOC

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s New York City colleagues haven’t entirely moved past her Oversight leadership bid last year.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
J. Scott Applewhite/AP

New York City Democrats in the House are boosting Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s role at the forefront of the Democratic Party after she declined a second run to be the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee.

“I love AOC. I think she’s a star,” Rep. Adriano Espaillat said. “She’s one of the best assets the Democratic Party has, and we should be using her to our fullest advantage.”

Ocasio-Cortez said Monday that she will not run to be Oversight’s top Democrat, telling reporters, “The underlying dynamics in the caucus have not shifted with respect to seniority as much as I think would be necessary” to win the position. In December, she lost the contest for the role to the more senior Rep. Gerry Connolly, who announced in late April that he is stepping back from committee leadership because his cancer has returned.