Massachusetts Congressman Stephen Lynch has officially announced his intention to seek the top Democratic post on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which is the chief investigative committee in the U.S. House and has effectively unlimited jurisdiction when it comes to what topics it can probe.
In a letter released to colleagues Thursday, Lynch said he’s running with the endorsement of the late Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, who was the top Democrat on the committee before passing away on May 21.
“When [Connolly’s] cancer came back, he said, ‘I’m not coming back, and you need to run for this position full time. You have my support. You need to call every member,'” Lynch told GBH News.
“[Connolly] said, ‘I know all the members on this committee. I know what their work ethic is; I know what their experience is.’ And he said, ‘You’ve paid your dues here, you’ve done this work, and you should be the one to lead us going forward.’”
Connolly also tapped Lynch, who is currently the acting ranking member of the committee, to serve as his interim replacement when his cancer left him too weak to perform his duties.
Lynch’s pitch goes beyond simply winning Connolly’s endorsement. In his letter to colleagues, Lynch touts his long service on the committee, saying he’s been involved “in every Oversight Committee investigation for the past 24 years” and has led subcommittee investigations on topics including the invasion of Ukraine, U.S. election security, and the recent use of non-secure communication platforms by national security officials in the Trump administration.
Lynch also said he was a plaintiff when the Oversight Committee sued the first Trump administration to compel the release of documents, an experience he predicts “will be of critical importance when we regain control of the House after the midterms and turn our investigative powers to focus on the illegal conduct of the Trump White House.”
In addition, Lynch touted his working-class roots in his letter, including growing up in public housing in South Boston, working as an ironworker and serving as president of the Ironworkers Local 7 union.
“There are a whole lot of overlaps between my life and the work that we’re doing on that committee,” Lynch told GBH News. “Dealing with labor issues. I’ve stood in an unemployment line when they used to have those.”
Lynch added that his working class roots make him better able to connect with the electorate as the committee does its work.
“The difference between the 2020 election and the 2024 election is that moderates and independents shifted from Joe Biden to Donald Trump by 14 percentage points,” Lynch said. “We lost that connection with the working class and with moderates and I think I can help with that. I think I can help in a better way than any of the other candidates might, in terms of speaking to those groups.”
According to Politico, three other Democrats are vying for the ranking member post, including Reps. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, Robert Garcia of California, and Kweisi Mfume of Maryland.
“I love them, you know what I mean?” Lynch said. ”Jasmine and Robert Garcia, two of our younger shining stars, they’re very new but they’re very good; they’re excellent at messaging. Mr. Mfume as well, he’s very thoughtful and he’s a friend.“
Ultimately, Lynch said Democratic unity will be critical on the committee moving forward, whoever succeeds Connolly.
“I think we all understand that the most important thing about this election is that however it comes out — and it might be a jump ball — however it comes out we need to be together,” he said. “We need to support whoever ends up in that raking member position, because the situation and the circumstances are so consequential.”
