In a surprising loss for younger and more liberal House Democrats, Congressman Gerry Connolly will likely be the next ranking member of the House Oversight Committee after beating out Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a narrow vote. The position is a powerful and high-profile post that will serve as one of the Democrats’ best foils for the coming Trump administration. 

Mr. Connolly was elected by his colleagues in a closed-door meeting of the Steering Committee on Monday. His selection will have to be ratified by the Democratic Caucus Tuesday. 

Mr. Connolly was likely boosted in the Steering Committee vote after Speaker Pelosi began making calls for her longtime colleague before she fell in Germany and was consigned to a hospital bed for the last several days. 

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s loss is a sting for liberals in Congress as they look to install younger, more energetic committee leadership. She served as vice chairwoman of the panel during this past Congress, and many believed she could be the rising star Democrats needed on an important committee. 

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez was endorsed by the Progressive Caucus and the Hispanic Caucus, while Mr. Connolly was supported by a more centrist internal group, the New Democrats. Notably, the 54-member Black Caucus did not endorse in the race for Oversight ranking member. 

The chairman of the panel, Republican Congressman James Comer, has become a famous villain for liberals over the course of the last two years as he led the impeachment investigation into President Biden. He and the outgoing ranking member, Congressman Jamie Raskin — who will now be the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee — sparred often during the impeachment probe. 

Mr. Comer had said that any Democrat would be an improvement over Mr. Raskin — including Ms. Ocasio-Cortez.  “I’m a big AOC fan,” Mr. Comer told CNN last week. “Obviously, I don’t agree with … much of her policy, but I think she’s a good person, I think she’s very well spoken.”

“I tell the press when they ask about the race for ranking member, the Democrats have nowhere to go but up after having Jamie Raskin for the last four years, so, I think AOC would be great,” Mr. Comer added. 

In a letter to colleagues announcing her candidacy, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said she wanted to focus on holding the incoming Trump administration accountable from her perch as the committee’s top Democrat. 

“This is not a position I seek lightly. The responsibility of leading Democrats on the House Oversight Committee during Donald Trump’s second term in the White House is a profound and consequential one,” she wrote in a letter in early December. “We must balance our focus on the incoming president’s corrosive actions and corruption with a tangible fight to make life easier for America’s working class.”

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s defeat to be ranking member on the Oversight panel comes amidst a change of generations on many House committee posts. Mr. Connolly is 77 years old, and is now fighting a bout of esophageal cancer that he says is under control. 

Less than two years ago, Speaker Pelosi and her two top deputies — all three of whom were in their eighties — all stepped aside for a new slate of leaders who were all under the age of 60.

Following President Biden’s withdrawal earlier this year due to his age and the subsequent loss of Vice President Harris, Democrats in the House have gone through the process of replacing many of their elder chairmen with younger leaders. 

Mr. Raskin overthrew 77 year-old Congressman Jerry Nadler at the Judiciary Committee, leaving the Oversight spot open. Congressman Raúl Grijalva, who is 77 and has led the Natural Resources Committee for the last decade, decided to step aside when he was challenged by a younger lawmaker. Congressman David Scott, the 79 year-old top Democrat on the Agriculture panel, was defeated in his reelection bid for the post on Monday by 52 year-old Congresswoman Angie Craig.