House Democrats are bracing for another ugly internal battle.
The party’s radical wing is now facing unexpected resistance.
And Jasmine Crockett launched a bombshell challenge that has radical Squad members panicking in secret.
Crockett’s bid to block AOC from seizing House Oversight leadership
A high-stakes power struggle has erupted among House Democrats following Rep. Gerry Connolly’s announcement that he will step down as ranking member of the House Oversight Committee after the return of his esophageal cancer.
The 75-year-old Virginia Democrat made his intentions clear, stating, “The sun is setting on my time in public service, and this will be my last term in Congress.”
His departure has triggered an intense behind-the-scenes battle, with Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) emerging as a formidable challenger who could block Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s attempt to seize control of one of the most powerful committees in Congress.
Crockett, who currently serves as Connolly’s vice ranking member, is quietly building support for her candidacy in a move that threatens to derail AOC’s ambitions.
“I’m the vice ranker, so when I took the role on, I was [and] still am willing to step in, in service to the caucus and the country, but conversations need to be had before any formal announcement can be made,” Crockett told Axios.
Ocasio-Cortez’s allies have been working behind the scenes to position the radical New York congresswoman for another run at the leadership position after she lost to Connolly last December by a decisive 131 to 84 vote.
Multiple House Democrats close to AOC told Axios she is still deliberating whether to mount another campaign for the position, despite no longer officially sitting on the committee.
The showdown represents a critical moment for Democrats as they decide whether to follow established procedures or cave to the demands of their radical base by elevating one of Congress’s most extreme voices.
One House Democrat on the committee who supports traditional party processes made their position clear, stating, “We have a vice [ranking member] for a reason… we talk a lot about respecting processes in the party, and that’s where I am.”
This Democrat’s stance signals growing resistance to AOC’s power grab and suggests Crockett may have stronger support than initially thought.
However, the radical wing isn’t backing down without a fight.
Another Democrat on the committee is already publicly supporting Ocasio-Cortez, declaring to Axios, “This might be a path for Ocasio-Cortez, given that it was a two-way race at the outset. I’d vote for her!”
The battle for control of the Oversight Committee couldn’t come at a worse time for Democrats as their far-left base is in full meltdown mode, demanding the party embrace even more extreme positions and scorched-earth tactics against Republicans.
For Ocasio-Cortez, seizing this powerful position would represent her biggest win yet in lurching her party toward full-blown socialism and dismantle what little remains of its moderate wing.
But her path is complicated by procedural hurdles, as she would need a special waiver to serve on both the Oversight Committee and the Energy & Commerce Committee simultaneously.
The House Democrats’ Steering and Policy Committee – largely controlled by leadership loyalists – would need to approve such an arrangement.
Meanwhile, other progressive Democrats are watching the conflict closely, with some considering their own bids for the position.
Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), and Maxwell Frost (D-FL) have all been mentioned as potential candidates, though sources familiar with Frost’s thinking indicate he would “fully support” Ocasio-Cortez if she decides to run.
Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA), who will temporarily fill in for Connolly, has been floated as a possible successor, but the 70-year-old moderate is viewed with suspicion by the rabid left-wing of the Democrat Party who demand absolute loyalty to their radical agenda.
This explosive power struggle exposes the Democrats’ identity crisis as establishment figures desperately try to maintain control while their unhinged progressive wing threatens to burn down traditional party structures and procedures in their relentless march toward socialism.
For conservatives, the battle exposes the Democrat Party’s dangerous leftward drift and internal divisions that threaten to push their agenda even further toward socialism.
