Washington DC - Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lost out to her older, centrist colleague Gerry Connolly in the race to be top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.

The secret-ballot vote, which took place Tuesday during a closed-door Democratic caucus meeting, was 131 to 84 in Connolly's favor, a source in the room told NBC.

The House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee had previously backed Connolly over AOC in a 34-27 vote Monday, the outlet reported. The senior lawmaker also had support from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who actively lobbied on his behalf.

According to Politico, AOC suggested to members of the Steering and Policy Committee that she could stop backing primary challengers to sitting lawmakers, in an apparently unsuccessful effort to win over concerned centrists.

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"Tried my best. Sorry I couldn’t pull it through everyone – we live to fight another day," AOC posted on Bluesky after the vote.

The Oversight position opened after Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the former ranking member, announced he would challenge Jerry Nadler of New York to become the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. Nadler then announced he would step aside from the role.

Connolly, first elected in 2008, represents Virginia's 11th congressional district. He is 74 and has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer.

AOC, who is 35, has represented New York's 14th congressional district for the last three terms after defeating 10-term incumbent Joe Crowley in the 2018 primary.