Inside the whisper campaign to elevate Robert Garcia

Many lawmakers who hoped Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) would vie to lead Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are quietly throwing their lot behind Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.).Why it matters: Garcia, a member of Democratic leadership, could emerge as the choice of colleagues seeking to bypass the seniority system and install party leaders willing to match the Trump administration's brute force tactics."I'm very much inclined to support him," said one establishment-oriented veteran House Democrat, who said they would even volunteer to be part of Garcia's whip team.A senior House progressive told Axios they have "heard, from members across the ideological spectrum ... a lot of consolidation around Robert."Yes, but: Those two lawmakers and others who spoke with Axios did so on the condition of anonymity because Garcia has not formally announced his candidacy for the role.Garcia has said publicly and privately that he is holding off on any announcement out of deference to Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), the current ranking member.Connolly said last week that he will step down from the role "soon" amid his battle with esophageal cancer, but has not yet set a formal timeline.State of play: Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), 70, is serving as "interim" ranking member and will seek to finish Connolly's term when he formally announces his retirement.Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), a 44-year-old progressive known for her willingness' to go after Republicans, has also signaled plans to run.Several others — including Reps. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), 46, and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), 48, — haven't ruled out bids, though 27-year-old Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) said Tuesday he is "not going to run" for the role.What we're hearing: Garcia's supporters are, in startling unison, pointing to his experience as the former mayor of Long Beach, communications skills, his relationships across House Democrats' age and ideological divides as his main assets."Robert provides both the incredible communications ability that a lot of new members bring along with the expertise and the staff management and the broad caucus representation that more senior members often have," the senior progressive told Axios.The effort to raise up Garcia comes as some progressives have balked at Crockett's open jockeying for the role and her loss in a caucus-wide election last year — which they fear will make her a weak torch-bearer.Lynch and Crockett have their bases of support: Some longtime members have said they will back Lynch because of his seniority, and some Congressional Black Caucus members are behind Crockett.The intrigue: Though Lynch was forthright to reporters about his ambitions last week, he appears to have pulled back on speaking as though his candidacy is already a done deal.Asked about Garcia's potential candidacy, he told Axios: "I still say Gerry Connolly is the driving force. He's still the ranking member.""I mean, he can't sit through these long hearings and has asked me to pinch hit for him, but that's where we're at right now," he added. "That's as much as I have to say."Crockett did not respond to a request for comment.

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