California Rep. Robert Garcia will be the next top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee after beating Massachusetts Rep. Stephen Lynch in a 150-63 caucus vote Tuesday.
Garcia, 47, won a first-ballot majority after winning the backing of the caucus’ powerful Steering and Policy Committee on Monday evening.
Serving just his second term in Congress, Garcia has quickly risen through the ranks. He’s currently a member of Democratic Caucus leadership and served as a co-chair of Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign.
In a contest that had tested House Democrats’ desire to set aside its penchant to reward seniority in favor of promoting younger voices, Garcia had pitched himself to his colleagues as a consensus candidate with managerial experience as a former mayor of Long Beach.
