Connolly won in a 131-84 vote to become the Democrats’ ranking member on the influential oversight committee that was one that oversaw many investigations into the first Trump administration while Democrats controlled the House after the 2018 midterm election.

Connolly arrived in Congress after 2008’s election. His younger New York counterpart arrived in Washington 10 years later. He won the recommendation of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee over Ocasio-Cortez, 35.

The Virginia representative will replace Maryland’s Rep. Jamie Raskin, who will move on as ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee for the next Congress convening Jan. 3.

This puts Connolly as next-in-line to be committee chair if Democrats take back control of the House in the 2026 mid-term elections.

The committee vote illustrated growing tension over an ongoing generational split in the Democratic Party. Connolly previously ran for the job but this time had the support of ex-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 84.

An Ocasio-Cortez ally says she was “disappointed” in the outcome.

“I know Gerry will do a great job,” Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., told Axios after Tuesday’s vote. “But there’s no substitute for having someone in that position that literally has millions of Americans following her” on social media.

“I think that the seniority issue in this building gets in the way,” added Balint. “Our people back home, they don’t care about seniority.”

However, Connolly, when asked how he will deal with a second Trump administration, said while the president-elect “may feel more emboldened,” it may also make him “more reckless.”

“There is a law in this land, and we’re going to make sure it’s enforced,” Connolly said.