Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Gerry Connolly are competing for the top Democratic spot on the House Oversight and Accountability panel, with both camps confident in their support. The Steering and Policy Committee will recommend a candidate on Monday, followed by a full caucus vote on Tuesday. Connolly has the backing of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, while Ocasio-Cortez has the Progressive Caucus' endorsement. The race reflects broader generational tensions within the Democratic Caucus.
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Gerry Connolly are vying for the top Democratic spot on the House Oversight and Accountability panel, with both camps confident in their support. The Democratic Steering and Policy Committee will recommend candidates, with a full caucus vote to follow. Connolly has backing from former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, while Ocasio-Cortez has the Progressive Caucus' endorsement. The race reflects broader generational tensions within the Democratic Party as younger members seek leadership roles.
For the first time in two decades, no women will lead any House committees in the 119th Congress, as announced by House Republicans. The committee leadership will be dominated by white men, with no people of color selected. This marks a shift from the previous Congress where three Republican women chaired committees. The decision has sparked criticism, highlighting concerns about gender and diversity representation in political leadership.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) announced he will not seek to retain his leadership role on the House Natural Resources Committee, paving the way for Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) to potentially take over. Grijalva, who has led the committee since 2015, faced a challenge from Huffman amid concerns about his leadership during the Trump administration. This move is part of a broader trend of younger House Democrats seeking leadership roles, as seen in other committee challenges. Grijalva, 76, plans to retire from Congress in 2026 after a cancer diagnosis.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva has withdrawn from the race for the top Democratic position on the Natural Resources Committee, citing health issues, which may prevent a generational conflict within the party. This move reflects broader tensions among House Democrats over seniority and leadership roles, as younger members push for change. Grijalva's decision comes amid similar challenges faced by other senior Democrats, such as Rep. David Scott, who is also dealing with health problems and leadership challenges. The Democratic steering and policy committee will soon hold elections to recommend new panel leaders.
Missouri Senate President Caleb Rowden removed several members of the "Freedom Caucus" from their committee leadership posts, citing their disruptive behavior and the need to address dysfunction within the Senate. The move escalated tensions within the Republican party, with the affected senators, who are also running for various statewide positions, denouncing Rowden's decision as confrontational. Rowden accused the caucus of using the Senate to further their political campaigns and intentionally undermining the institution.
Newly elected Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will face a challenging City Council, which has recently expanded the number of council committees and handed out chairmanships to themselves rather than waiting for Johnson to do so. While aldermen are open to working with Johnson, they may not be as willing to hand the keys to him as they have for decades when mayors dictated council committee leadership posts. The new council appears poised to see its Latino membership increase to 14 from 12, its Asian representation boosted to two from zero, and its LGBTQ representation increase to nine from six.
