By Felicia Sonmez

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, on Monday announced she will run for chair of the House Democratic Caucus, making official what had been rumored for weeks following the surprise primary loss of the current chairman, Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y.

Lee’s announcement makes her the second lawmaker to jump into the race for the No. 4 spot in House Democratic leadership. Her fellow Californian, Rep. Linda Sánchez, announced her bid last week.

Start your day with the news you need from the Bay Area and beyond.

Sign up for our Morning Report weekday newsletter.

“The strength of our caucus lies in our diversity of experiences and ideas,” Lee said in a letter to colleagues announcing her bid. “Whether it’s working across the aisle to enact HIV/AIDS laws, or bringing the Sanders and Clinton campaigns together behind a cohesive and progressive Democratic Platform, my career has been dedicated to finding common ground and delivering results.”

Lee, who has served in the House for more than 20 years, previously chaired the Congressional Black Caucus and co-chaired the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

A staunch liberal who was the only member of Congress to vote against authorization of military force in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Lee was also mentioned by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Democratic challenger who defeated Crowley, as an ideal successor to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

“Is Barbara Lee available?” Ocasio-Cortez responded last month when asked by a Washington Post reporter whether she plans to support Pelosi as Democratic leader.

The move by Lee sets up a race that reflects the heated national debate among Democrats over whether their party needs a new generation of leadership. It also will not be the first time Sánchez and Lee have faced off: In 2016, Sánchez eked out a two-vote win over Lee in the race for the party’s No. 5 spot.

The top three House Democrats — Pelosi, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Assistant Minority Leader James Clyburn of South Carolina — are 78, 79 and 78, respectively.

Sánchez, 49, openly challenged the trio during an interview with reporters from The Post and the Los Angeles Times on C-SPAN’s “Newsmakers” last year.

“I do think it’s time to pass a torch to a new generation of leaders, and I want to be a part of that transition,” Sánchez said. Later in the interview, she clarified her concerns were about seniority rather than age.

At 72, Lee could face criticism from those who are calling for the Democratic leadership to open its doors to more members of the party’s younger base.

After Ocasio-Cortez’s win, Pelosi herself addressed calls for generational change within the party, maintaining she plans to retain her post as leader after November’s midterm election.

“Well I’m female, I’m progressive,” Pelosi said at a news conference last month. “What’s your problem? Two out of three ain’t bad.”

A handful of other Democrats, including Reps. Hakeem Jeffries of New York and Eric Swalwell and Adam Schiff of California, have also expressed interest in joining the race.

David Weigel contributed to this report.