The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is endorsing Rep. Robert Garcia for the top spot on the Oversight Committee, handing Garcia an influential bloc of Democrats as he races to clinch the spot against three of his colleagues.
Garcia is the sole Latino candidate running for the ranking member spot and was expected to win the endorsement, but the 42 Democrats in the CHC handed Garcia a momentum boost in a race that, so far, has not had a clear front-runner.
Garcia is running against Rep. Stephen Lynch, who been serving as interim ranking member since the late Rep. Gerry Connolly’s cancer diagnosis and death, as well as Reps. Kweisi Mfume and Jasmine Crockett.
NOTUS confirmed that Garcia also met with former Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week, seeking her influential endorsement. Pelosi backed Connolly when he ran for the top spot in December.
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The Congressional Progressive Caucus and centrist New Democrat Coalition also hosted candidate forums on Tuesday, though neither group currently has an endorsement planned.
CPC Chair Greg Casar told NOTUS that his caucus will now “ask our members what we want to do” in terms of an endorsement. But he said not to expect an announcement from the group imminently.
Garcia, Crockett and Mfume are all members of the CPC.
The Congressional Black Caucus and the Democratic Women’s Caucus are also scheduled to host their candidate forums on Wednesday.
The full caucus is expected to vote on who will be the top Democrat on the committee in a secret ballot vote on June 24.
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Daniella Diaz and Riley Rogerson are reporters at NOTUS.
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