She’s now Madam Chair.
Manhattan Rep. Carolyn Maloney became the first chairwoman of the powerful House Oversight Committee Wednesday after an election by her Democratic colleagues.
She beat out Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly by a vote of 133-86 in a closed-door caucus meeting to succeed Rep. Elijah Cummings, who died Oct. 17 in the midst of the House’s impeachment inquiry.
Maloney, 73, had already won the influential recommendation of the Democratic steering committee on Tuesday in a four-way race that also included Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) and Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.).
“I am deeply humbled and grateful to my colleagues for entrusting me with the chairmanship,” said Maloney. “I’m honored by this opportunity to do more for the American people and will do my best to follow the honorable example that Chairman Cummings left for us all. There’s much work to be done, and I can’t wait to get started.”