Nancy Pelosi isn't in Washington, D.C., but she is leading an effort to block Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from winning a powerful seat on the Oversight Committee.

Connolly is an Oversight lifer, having served on the committee since he arrived in Congress in 2009. By all accounts, he’s adept and seasoned in the role. He won a positive reputation for his work beating back Republican witch hunts during the Barack Obama years, experience which will likely serve well in the upcoming administration.

A Democratic House committee on Monday recommended that Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly take over the party’s top spot on the House Oversight Committee, a key vote that saw challenger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez finish a close second.