Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) is the new ranking member for the House Oversight Committee after the Democratic caucus overwhelmingly voted for him on Tuesday morning.

Garcia defeated Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) in a 150-63 vote. Reps. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD) and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) dropped out shortly before the final vote, after the Steering Committee recommended Garcia for the role in a Monday evening vote. 

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Garcia’s selection is a win for progressive Democrats, who have been eager to see fresh blood in the leadership ranks since the party’s defeat in 2024. Many had eyed Crockett for the role, given her ascension as a figurehead and vocal mouthpiece for the Democrats.

The caucus decided Garcia was the best fit to serve as the top Democrat on the powerful House committee, which has been focused lately on investigating former President Joe Biden and his use of the autopen.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told reporters leaving the caucus meeting that she voted for Garcia, quipping, “Well, I’m a Californian,” noting that she is also “partial to mayors.” Garcia served as the mayor of Long Beach before heading to Congress.

Pelosi said she thought all four candidates were “excellent.”

“I think any one of them could have done a great job internally,” she said. “Question is, how to spread that word outside?”

Garcia will succeed Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly, who died in office this year. Garcia will be the chief antagonist to Rep. James Comer (R-KY), who is chairman of the House Oversight Committee and is leading a wide-ranging investigation into Biden’s health while in office and whether aides covered up his decline.

Comer congratulated Garcia in a statement on Tuesday shortly after the election.

“Following the passing of our friend and colleague, Gerry Connolly, Ranking Member Garcia has big shoes to fill,” Comer said. “While I’m sure we’ll have our fair share of spirited debates and disagreements, I look forward to working together wherever we can find common ground.”

Crockett told reporters ahead of Tuesday’s full-caucus vote that the Steering Committee result, in which she got the lowest number of votes, was a “loud signal” that Democratic leaders did not want her style of leadership. 

“They were clear that I was the one that made least sense in their minds,” the Texas Democrat said. 

“I think the people may be disappointed, but at the end of the day, we’ve got to move forward in this country. … I don’t want to be an impediment,” Crockett added. “I will still be me. I will still be loud and proud. I mean, I will still do my things. It’s just that I will have less structure, and I won’t have a budget to be able to kind of do the more robust things that I wanted to do to hopefully push this caucus in a place in which people start to trust us.” 

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Mfume said he withdrew his name for consideration because the “preservation of the institution and the success of the Democratic Caucus are paramount to me.”

“Steve Lynch and Robert Garcia are friends who I have the utmost respect for, either of which will lead our Party well as we move forward to blunt the Trump administration and to fight for justice and civil rights for all Americans,” Mfume said before the final vote.