Ocasio-Cortez Breaks Her Silence, Addresses Pregnancy Rumors
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), widely recognized for her progressive policies and left-leaning agenda, has once again captured attention—this time due to speculation on social media regarding pregnancy rumors.
“[People] keep asking me if I’m pregnant,” Ocasio-Cortez revealed. “Actually, a member—a Republican—came to me on the floor this week and asked me if I was pregnant.”
Clarifying the situation, she added with a casual shrug, “I’m not pregnant, guys. I just had a lot of food at Thanksgiving. Okay? It happens.”
Recently, Ocasio-Cortez faced another notable event as she sought the position of ranking member on the House Oversight Committee. However, in a vote held by the House Democrats’ Steering and Policy Committee, the New York lawmaker was defeated by centrist Democrat Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia.
According to lawmakers present during the process, Connolly secured the position with a 34-27 vote on Monday, as reported by Conservative Brief.
Connolly’s bid had the backing of the influential New Democrat Coalition, which formally endorsed him before the vote.
“New Dems are proud to endorse our colleague, friend, and fellow New Dem Rep. Gerry Connolly for Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability,” the group expressed in a statement. “Rep. Connolly is a strong and talented communicator and a dedicated workhorse prepared to expertly lead the committee in defending our Democratic priorities and standing up to the Trump administration’s extremist actions. He is the right choice to advance the interests of our full caucus.”
The statement further praised Connolly’s tenure, saying, “Throughout his sixteen years on the Committee, Rep. Connolly has been a courageous and formidable force fighting against extremist GOP conspiracy theories and advancing thoughtful, commonsense legislation. As we prepare for the new Trump administration and Republican-controlled Congress, the Oversight Committee Democrats will play a critical role in protecting our democratic institutions and pushing back on bad faith actors. We are fully confident that Rep. Connolly will lead the committee with a no-nonsense approach and a steady hand.”
Despite Ocasio-Cortez’s loss in the Steering Committee vote, the entire Democratic caucus must still formally endorse Connolly’s selection.
Reports from Punchbowl News suggest that Ocasio-Cortez’s efforts to secure the role were actively opposed by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who recently retained her seat in Congress.
“Pelosi is making calls on behalf of Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who is running against AOC to be ranking member of Oversight,” the outlet reported. “Pelosi has made her support for Connolly publicly known. But her behind-the-scenes maneuvering shows the amount of political capital Pelosi’s willing to put into the contest, which will be decided next week.”
The publication’s midday newsletter reiterated, “Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi is actively working to tank Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-N.Y.) bid to become the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. Pelosi is making calls on behalf of Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who is running against AOC to be ranking member of Oversight. Pelosi has made her support for Connolly publicly known. But her behind-the-scenes maneuvering shows the amount of political capital Pelosi’s willing to put into the contest, which will be decided next week.”
Ocasio-Cortez, undeterred, had declared her candidacy in a letter to fellow lawmakers last week. In it, she emphasized the critical importance of the role, stating, “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. Now, more than ever, we must focus on the Committee’s strong history of both holding administrations accountable and taking on the economic precarity and inequality that is challenging the American way of life.”