Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (via Twitter)
Nov. 6, 2018 By Christian Murray
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has just been elected to U.S. Congress, making her the youngest woman to win a Congressional seat in the country’s history.
Ocasio-Cortez, 29, will represent the 14th District of New York , which covers north west Queens and a southern portion of Bronx, in the House of Representatives beginning in January.
Her victory, with roughly 80 percent of the vote and 72 percent of scanners reporting as of press time, comes on the heels of her stunning victory over longtime Rep. Joseph Crowley in the June primary that rocked the political establishment. Her Republican opponent, Anthony Pappas, received roughly 13 percent of the vote in tonight’s election.
Ocasio-Cortez, a Democratic Socialist who ran on a platform of Medicare-for-all, free public college and abolishing ICE, beat Crowley by nearly 15 points—57.1 percent to 42.5– in the primary. She railed against the Democratic machine and refused to take corporate money, and set herself apart from Crowley, claiming he was the embodiment of the machine and special interests as head of the Queens County Democratic Party.
Despite Crowley’s defeat in the primary, his name remained on ballot—listed under the Working Families line. Some supporters, additionally, were campaigning for him, despite his numerous announcements that he wasn’t running.
A map showing Congressional District 14
Last week, ads were placed in the Woodside Herald, Queens Gazette and elsewhere telling residents to cast their votes for him.
Supporters were also handing out flyers in Sunnyside and were urging people to support him on Facebook.
But the likelihood of Ocasio-Cortez, a resident of Parkchester in the Bronx, winning the Nov. 6 midterm election was already high, given her astounding triumph in the Democratic primary.
Indeed, Crowley received 6 percent of the vote as of press time, with roughly 6,450 votes counted so far.
The first-time candidate, who had roughly 82,000 votes in tonight’s election, came with little political experience when she started her campaign at the beginning of the year. At the time she was working as a waitress in a Manhattan restaurant.
She had helped Bernie Sanders with his 2016 presidential run, and worked for the National Hispanic Institute. She also handled constituent issues for Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts while attending college in Boston, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and international relations from Boston University.
Her progressive agenda, dislike of the political machine and humble beginnings, however, resonated strongly with constituents. Her campaign, while steadily gaining traction, was elevated to the spotlight shortly after releasing an online video that went viral, with the opening line being– “Women like me aren’t supposed to run for office.”
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73 Comments
It is so sad for our community here that we were fooled by Joe Crowley for 20 years – he used his office to make his family and friends rich, give them jobs, and for himself to climb the career ladder in D.C. Ocasio-Cortez is already more nationally known then he ever was, and she has not even started. At least she was democratically chosen by the people, not the Queens Machine. Joe Crowley and his family should pay us back, he does not deserve a salary for life, paid for by us, he owes us. He stole enough already for him and his family through is corruption.
Anyone who describes Ocasio-Cortez a communist does not understand the word, or is just a Crowley staffer trying to put her down. Socialism is not communism, and she has same stances on medicare and student loans that Crowley had- except she has been democratically elected to Congress – he never was – and she is articulate and not a corrupt , corporate Dem like Crowley was.
What a miserable launch of a political career!
Instead of having adult conversations on issues and building relationships with her fellow Congress members, AOC seems hell bent on self-promotion.
She started off by dragging her posse into a sit-in at Pelosi’s office. Follows that up by starting an online fit with another Congressman. Now goes on Facebook to tell them all how to run their campaigns.
We needed an adult in the room who will intelligently represent her district. Not a child who stomps her feet and cries foul when she wants her way. And then posts the video online in a blatant attempt to grab the spotlight.
Expect lots of thumbs down on this post from her posse. But she should expect more blowback from her constituents and her colleagues if she thinks sit-ins and photo-op protests are a responsible way to govern like an adult.
With tactics like that, you’ll be frozen out of any power in Congress in a NY minute.
She already showing more political courage, and getting more attention than corrupt Joe Crowley ever did. She sticks to her values, and her star will rise. Don’t forget Ocasio-Cortez was legitimately elected by our District, Crowley never was. He was “appointed” to Congress, and then his Queens Machine intimidated away all credible opponents, and now we taxpayers have to pay him again for the rest of his life.
He was so unknown in this District , that despite his major underground efforts to win on Election Day, he only got 5 percent???? No one knew him , after he sat in Washington for 20 years, using his office to get himself and family rich, and work in his own career – a shallow one, that collapsed as soon as viable candidate got in to challenge him She will be a superstar of the Dems watch.
She’s a certified moron. If she can’t pay the rent in D.C. she can bar tend and keep all the tips since that is what she was doing before she ran for congress. Shows the kind of voters we have in the E.D. It’s all about ethnicity and “feelings”.And some of the biggest dummies are the hipsters and old commies from Sunnyside Gardens.
Ever tried paying rent based on a job that you haven’t started getting paid for yet?
Her comments highlight a bigger issue with our political system, which is that it’s set up to favor people who already have money to toss around. A rich and well-connected lawyer can slip easily in and out of political life at will. A factory worker, not so much. That makes it hard for Congress to truly represent the people.
Sounds like another jealous Crowley staffer! Corrupt Crowley never did anything, except take care of his own career and corruptly enrich his family – he should be jealous of Ocasio-Cortez – she won her seat in Congress – he never won fairly – and she is already more well-known than he ever was.
Saw on the TV news today that she says she can not afford first month’s rent on apartment in DC since she quit her job as a bartender and has been unemployed while campaigning until she gets a Congressional paycheck and a yearly salary of $175,000!
Get a roommate like Schumer did.
Or buy a million dollar house in Virginia and move to Washington permanently , as corrupt Crowley did.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/38171/ocasio-cortez-cant-afford-apartment-dc-her-paul-bois
I voted Jim Dillon Man vs. Machine!
The worst news yet is that We are not rid of Crowley and his corrupt Machine and family yet!
An Crowley crony was bragging that We – Queens taxpayers, have to foot the bill for life, for Crowley’s pension (140,000 a year and comprehensive private health care), due to his “service” to Queens and the Bronx?? Crowley “inherited” his seat in Congress, and then his Queens Machine forced all viable opposition off the ballot for the next 20 years. He is an autocrat, who lost dismally once who had a viable challenger, (80 percent Ocasio-Cortez to 5 percent Crowley this past Tuesday), she destroyed him in the debates, as he never had to do that before, and was clueless on the issues, and now we are stuck supporting him and his family?
He should borrow from the multi-millions his lobbyist brother , or attorney family, friends earned unethically from Queens courts? Why should we pay?
Crowley will be a burden on this District forever!
Im happy she won because now her incompetence will shine
Joe Crowley was incompetent and was repeatedly elected un-democratically for 20 years – he corruptly used his office to enrich his family and friends? He tried a desperate underground campaign to beat here on Election Day last week a and no one knew him, or wanted him in the District . Crowley staff keep saying “Nancy love him , he got lots of corporate money” – who cares ?? He was “respected” because he fooled DC into thinking his District liked him? What a joke? he stayed in power for 20 years , autocratically, by gwrthis Queens Machine to intimidate all viable opponents off the ballot – he is worse than Putin – and now taxpayers in Queens have to pay his “salary for life” 140,00 a year !! For his “service” to our District ??? . It is more like “self-service” to Joe Crowley and his family as they abused his position to get wealthy as lobbyists , teacher jobs, campaign office rent for Crowley Law and Travel etc . He could not win a debate with 5th grader.
“He could not win a debate with a 5th grader”
Now we have somebody with the mental acuity of a 5th grader going to the House of Representatives in January.
She will do the same only alot worse.
Seems like a nice young woman.
Has no clue on what she is doing.
A total embarrassment to our part of the district.
For those of you who did not vote in the primary, we got what we deserved.
Be afraid ….be very afraid . A new wave of no-nonsense officials is on the rise ! Never mind whether she has enough for American standards, she’s got more than the goon we have as president ….where is his political experience ?? …. and of many, many, other officials. I’m with her !
well, it doesnt matter what side they are on, as long as politicians keep stealing from the hard working middle class, then that’s all that matters.
Crowley was the embarrassment to our District – he was corrupt , inarticulate , and “inherited” his seat in Congress through the Queens Machine – and for next 20 years they forced all viable opponents off the ballot – he was an autocrat ! A true communist ! All the Crowley staff here , who make comments , arguing about his “influence with Nancy” are pathetic ? He was never “democratically elected” and he used his office corruptly , and used the courts and his position as Boss of Queens to make his family rich – he still holds on to that position by intimidating votes ? Can anyone explain why he was good for the District ?? He only helped himself . a Nancy will he gone soon also !
Give it up already. You’re repeating the same line way too much. Clearly your punctuation problems are a dead giveaway you post multiple times under different screen names ??? !!!
Is it just me or we’re all the bike-lane opponents Joe Crowley fans, too? A double blow for the old guard/Trump supporters. The winds of change have arrived and the Sunnyside they knew is gone.
The kind of change you talk a about is not good change your change is the kind of change that destroys communities and nations as in Obama change. You will pay dearly as will the innocent people in your community you are just too stupid to see it. Signed a retired career military combat vet of 3 wars.
I have listened to her being interviewed. DUH. She has a lot to learn. Too young and inexperienced. She was not voted in because of knowledge.
I live here. I hope she does well by her constituents.
Europeans left socialism to come here in order to escape from their countries policies. Neo Americans who have grown up here & have absolutely no idea what socialism is except for what their college professors have fed them & the propaganda they see on FB want it here because why? Your story told ideas will not help people but only oppress them financially & socially.
Yes Europeans fled Europe because the healthcare was so affordable
60% of their income would go to healthcare. So affordable & forever poor.
That’s hogwash.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-42950587
She is a pure Sicialist and she and the people who voted for her should move to a country that has Sicialism
Enjoy it and take Bernie Sanders with you
This is a country wher people like to work and pay for what they have.it is called successful living.
What effort you put into your life you then reap the benefits
There is such a good feeling when you know you EARNED the fruits of your life
So many people thumbing down anyone that isn’t crazy for her, yet can’t explain why she would be good except being young. Her ignorance is out there as video evidence. She’s proposing laws that would require trillions we don’t have, flat out gun bans without talking about mental health issues which is the biggest factor for shootings, flat out ICE ban ignoring thousands of job loss, universal healthcare which increases in tax middle/lower class cant afford, and multitude of other issues that she puts out as solution but no answer how.
But yeah lets keep pretending she’s soo good for the job because she’s young.
Crowley was pretending to be unaware of his supporters running a “mysterious” campaign on his behalf in Queens for the past few months, but-despite all of the underground efforts of the Crowley camp to beat Ocasio-Cortez last night, and Crowley refusing to remove his name from the ballot, she still beat him again, overwhelmingly. People in his District barely knew him He was never legitimately elected here, he was like an autocrat.
Finally democracy reigns in Queens/Bronx. King Crowley and his corrupt Queens Machine are dying out – let democracy finally reign.
There needs to be an IQ test for voters. The dems need to put her in charge of a committee if they think so much of her. Give her some real exposure if they really believe in her. She is a joke and they know it.
Why would anyone prefer Crowley? At least Ocasio-Cortez legitimately won, democratically, U.S. style? Not like autocratic, corrupt Joe Crowley?? He “inherited” his seat in Congress, and then his corrupt Queens Machine intimidated and bullied any viable opposition off the ballot? Plus there is ample evidence he used his office to get his friends and family rich? Why wouldn’t you be happy to get rid of a corrupt, inarticulate pol like Crowley ? He lived in Virginia , and visited his mother in Woodside??but forced local Dems to vote him in as Boss of Queens dems again, so he could keep the cash cow flowing for his cronies and family. If you want communism and autocracy , then try to get Crowley back! He tried hard with his underground campaign to sneak into Congress again, and lost dismally – no one int the District knows who he is – except his family, and those who got rich . The got 90,000 votes – accept democracy.
Democracy is Mob Rule we are a Constitutional Republic and people like you are why we need a test to be able to vote!!!??
This district now has ZERO representation in Congress, As if Nancy would listen to her for one second, The lunatics have taken over the Asylum .
Whoops, looks like you had a typo. Here ya go:
Seventy eight percent of the district now feels represented in Congress*
?????????
Big difference in being and feeling, Ask Nancy.
The fact that she represents a large number of people is where she gets her representational power, not her age, gender, skin tone, etc.
If 78% percent FEELS represented by Ocasio, if Nancy chooses to ignore her, she chooses to ignore Ocasio’s supporters by proxy. She then loses favor with said 78%, which when talking about a populated urban area, is a lot of votes.
I know it’s presumptuous that a politician can think two steps ahead, but most adults are capable of doing so. Republicans don’t follow Trump because they think he’s an intelligent, insightful leader; they do it because if they don’t, they lose favor with the people who FEEL represented by him, which makes their lives more difficult.
The real magic word here being FEELS*.
It’ll be interesting to see how the democratic machine welcomes Ms. Ocasio-Cortez to their ranks.
Yes, Crowley camp tried hard with their “underground” campaign to paint Ocasio-Cortez as inexperience, and a “communist” but she beat him, despited his massive efforts in this recent election also, by a huge margin. No one knew Virginia Joe Crowley his old District. He was a joke. The stench of Crowley corruption is gone.
well she ran virtually unopposed…Crowley staying on the ballot was pretty much a joke (not that I voted for him) but I had to look up on line who her Rep opponent was..he did no campaigning than on Election day I saw there was a conservative also running..another mystery man…add the gerrymandering factor to include s Bronx…once she won the primary it was in the bag
I don’t understand why any resident could prefer Crowley ? He never even got elected to Congress fairly – his Machine made sure no viable candidates were able to primary him- he and his family are so corrupt – and arrogant – he thought he could live full time in Virginia , lie about it , and be Boss of Queens – plus fat his family and friends rich off corruption- and no one would notice ! Anyone is better than that ?
Ocasio-Cortez = Communist, no experience, apparently does not understand math.
Crowley = Tammany machine politician, lived in Virginia, hand picked by former party boss, current party boss and overall jackass. All New York politicians are corrupt Still not a communist.
Still trust not a communist more than a communist.
So when things start going south with Miss Cortez, just remember she does not have the basic comprehension of how our government works, but y’all voted for her. I think this is one of her best Bo Bo’s (Chuckle) but fell free to add on.
“It doesn’t mean you get everything tomorrow. As much as I would love that, I would love to get inaugurated January 3rd [and] January 4th we’re signing health care, we’re signing this.”
Crowley sat in Congesss for 20 years , and bumbled through the debates – he was never even voted in fairly ? He used his office to get his family and friends rich ? He lied about living in queens , when he was living full time in Virginia? Anything has to be better than that ??
And you got something even worse. When will you people learn eh. The Democratic Party has been hijacked by the Communist Party. Read the Soviet Constitution or the Communist Manifesto you will be shocked and will want to smack yourself.
FDR’s policies led the country out of the Great Depression, and it can do so again for us with people like Ocasio Cortez championing them again.
Things will not happen overnight, but this is a step in the right direction for policies and ideas that have proven to work.
And wanting universal health care is silly because…?
Heaven forbid an elected official should use a (slightly) incorrect term.
It’s not even incorrect. She was formally admitted to public office, meaning inaugurated.
The parent commenter is just too stupid to understand that.
She referenced two incorrect terms (not slightly) in the one sentence. You get sworn in to congress not inaugurated. and congress does not sign bills they write them. The president signs. I have plenty of other BoBo’s by miss Cortez if you are not convinced that she is totally incompetent. I do admire her conviction that she thinks she can make drastic change in Washington but she has no true grasp of checks & balances or even the mechanics of local government let alone at the federal level.
But she’ll give you free stuff!!!
A victory for communism.
Right here in our own backyard.
Communism? She is advocating class war and a society in which all property is publicly owned?
Or is she a member of the DSA which supports social democracy, not communism?
You know “communism” is a real word with a real meaning right? It’s not just another buzzword like “soyboy” or “shill” that Fox News viewers love to parrot.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism
In political and social sciences, communism (from Latin communis, “common, universal”) is the philosophical, social, political, and economic ideology and movement whose ultimate goal is the establishment of the communist society, which is a socioeconomic order structured upon the common ownership of the means of production and the absence of social classes, money and the state.
Communism includes a variety of schools of thought, which broadly include Marxism and anarchism (anarcho-communism), as well as the political ideologies grouped around both. All of these share the analysis that the current order of society stems from its economic system, capitalism; that in this system there are two major social classes; that conflict between these two classes is the root of all problems in society; and that this situation will ultimately be resolved through a social revolution. The two classes are the working class—who must work to survive and who make up the majority within society—and the capitalist class—a minority who derives profit from employing the working class through private ownership of the means of production. The revolution will put the working class in power and in turn establish social ownership of the means of production, which according to this analysis is the primary element in the transformation of society towards communism. Critics of communism can be roughly divided into those concerning themselves with the practical aspects of 20th century communist state and those concerning themselves with communist principles and theory.
Anyone who describes Ocasio-Cortez a communist does not understand the word, or is just a Crowley staffer trying to put her down. Socialism is not communism, and she has same stances on medicare and student loans that Crowley had- except she has been democratically elected to Congress – he never was – and she is articulate and not a corrupt , corporate Dem like Crowley was.
Heaven help us.
A breath of fresh air is sweeping through Queens and the Bronx with the election of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Her inspiring victory is great for NY, but also gets rid ofJoe Crowley and the Queens Machine, bringing democracy back to the District. Crowley “inherited” his seat in Congress 20 years ago, and his Machine intimidated all viable opposition off the ballot against him,, so he was like an autocrat who never won legitimately, and had planned to stay in Congress for life. He also abused his power to enrich cronies and family members, and control the courts. Good riddance to Crowley corruption. Ocasio-Cortez won her seat in Congress legitimately last night – Crowley never did that. He even tried to run against her on the WFP line, yesterday, but only got about 5 percent despite underground efforts by his camp.
With the departure of Crowley , democracy in our District can finally flourish – from now politicians don’t have go get Crowley’s approval (and become indebted to him) to run for office. We all win now.
He is still head of the Queens Democratic party. Things will really not change in a meaningful way. Just less money and pull for our district.
Crowley is still head of the Queens Democratic Party, so nothing changed there. Sadly, we still have machine politics.
Hot air not fresh air.
She can never give a straight answer about how she plans , or the government can plan to pay for anything. She says child-like things such when she said the 40 trillion ( yes trillion) dollars to pay for the Medicare for all, where did the money come from, she said she would tax the rich! Lol. She’s a puppet. She’s basically a college freshman who thinks socialism is realist.The real world be catching up soon,.
She won because Crowley showed such disdain for his own base by not showing up for the debate.
That $40 Trillion question during the CNN interview is why I didn’t vote for her. It’s not the ideas I have an issue with, I like some of them in fact, it’s how they would be implemented which concerns me. Seems to be no regard for that part of many of the issues all parties run on these days…
she is a liar she did take money from Bernie Sanders and also worked for him. Soros pays well. She is a joke. Wait and see what is going to happen. She knows nothing at all.
What does “Soros pays well” mean, exactly?
This is silly. She’s 29.
are you one of the people on this site who hates millennials, children, schools, healthcare, etc?
awesome.
Haters gonna hate ??
According to the Constitution one only needs to be 25. There is a 70+ year old mental patient in the WH you should be more concerned about
She brings new blood in a congress filled with old dudes and fossil-like ideologies. However, her experience is severely lacking and won the seat with buzzwords that people liked to hear with no real solutions to achieve them.
She’s also ignorant (possible fear-mongering?) on several topics as well, such as saying things like, “A 17 year old can walk into a shop and purchase an assault weapon”. (Source: https://youtu.be/aa8nyraJQA4?t=265 )
I’m optimistic on what she will bring to the table – yet at the same time cautious on how much she can actually change; if at all.
She joins a large group of freshman women coming into Congress, so I look forward to seeing how that impacts the agenda. She brings a lot of enthusiasm but has a whole lot to learn too.
She needs to spend more time discussing issues with her colleagues and in Congress and less time on her own media exposure. More like how her mentor Ted Kennedy worked in the Senate.
And yes Johnny, we do have representation in Congress. Send her an e-mail or give her a call if you want her to hear your voice.
I wish her good luck.