Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) beat out Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) in a Democratic caucus vote Tuesday to decide which lawmaker will be the top-ranking party member on the House Oversight Committee in the new Congress starting in January.

The caucus voted for the 74-year-old, eight-term Virginian over the 35-year-old Ocasio-Cortez in a race seen as an example of congressional Democrats’ internal struggles with the role seniority should play in their party. The Democratic Steering Committee, a party panel seeded with leadership allies, endorsed Connolly for the ranking member slot Monday night.