Alexandria Ocasio Cortez is a 28 year old educator and politician who has just made history. In a grassroots campaign, Cortez has won the primaries in the majority Democratic district of Queens. Cortez ousted Joseph Crowley, the incumbent for the district who has served in D.C. since 2013.
Winning the primaries of New York’s majority Democratic and majority Hispanic 14th congressional district makes Cortez the next most likely representative for the Bronx-Queens area. Furthermore, Cortez would be one of the youngest female representatives to date.
Many found it surprising that a young woman who refused all financial funding from corporations, and previously worked as a bartender, has now become one of the newest liberal faces in politics. However, most people from her district understand exactly how she did it. Cortez is not your average politician or representative. She is a true voice of the people, something that is often missing today in the U.S. government.
A Latina from a working-class family in the Bronx, Cortez is a local and is a true representative of the district. She is a woman of the people. Her campaign mission states:
“I am an educator, organizer, Democratic Socialist, and born-and-raised New Yorker running to champion working families in Congress. It is well past time that we in NY-14 had a true, lobbyist-free representative who lives in our community and fights on behalf of Bronx + Queens families.”
As a Boston University and a National Hispanic Institute graduate, Cortez is a hardworking and well-rounded candidate. As a woman who has not only dealt with her own financial and healthcare struggles but has received degrees in both economics and international relations, Cortez is an extremely qualified politician to deal with the current issues faced in Congress, and an even better representative for the people of her district. Cortez is a young progressive woman with insight, experience, and new ideas, which many people say Congress needs.
Cortez believes she won because:
“This race is about people versus money — we’ve got people, they’ve got money…when you knock on your neighbor’s door, when you come to them with love, when you let them know that no matter your stance, you are there for them — that we can make change.”
Joseph Crowley, the incumbent Cortez faced, went on to endorse and congratulate Cortez.
I want to congratulate @Ocasio2018. I look forward to supporting her and all Democrats this November. The Trump administration is a threat to everything we stand for here in Queens and the Bronx, and if we don't win back the House this November, we will lose the nation we love.
— Joe Crowley (@JoeCrowleyforNY) June 27, 2018
Bernie Sanders also congratulated Cortez.
Congratulations to @Ocasio2018 on her extraordinary upset victory tonight! She took on the entire local Democratic establishment in her district and won a very strong victory. She demonstrated once again what progressive grassroots politics can do.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) June 27, 2018
While many see the Cortez primary win as surprising, locals of the Bronx and Queens see it as an inevitable and necessary call for real representation and political action. Cortez’s platform includes Medicare for all, tuition-free public university, the legalization of marijuana, and the abolishment of ICE. The young candidate has a plan of action backing each of her goals, making her a great resource to current legislation.
Featured Image via Wikimedia Commons
