Who is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez? 3 things to know about the New York congresswoman
The House race for New York's 14th district is one of the most expensive in the U.S.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is running for reelection in the state’s 14th district, after an astonishing rise in political popularity following her grassroots campaign in the 2018 election cycle.
While Ocasio-Cortez is largely favored to win the race, it has become the second most-expensive House race in the U.S., as reported by The New York Times.
Ocasio-Cortez is running against Bronx, N.Y., native John Cummings, who served as a school teacher in the area, as well as a member of the New York Police Department.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Here are three things to know about Ocasio-Cortez:
Youngest woman elected to Congress
After Ocasio-Cortez won her seat in the House of Representatives in 2018, she went on to become the youngest woman ever to serve in Congress at the age of 29.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Her win in the June 2018 primary, where she unseated 10-term incumbent Joe Crowley, was considered a political upset.
Prior to her candidacy, Ocasio-Cortez was a waitress and a bartender and has publicly talked about her working-class roots. She is the daughter of Puerto Rican parents.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Democratic socialist
Ocasio-Cortez is a self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist, who has aligned herself closely with many of the policies of Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
She is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and had previously endorsed Sanders for president while he was running.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She has supported "Medicare-for-all," free college tuition, student loan forgiveness, the Green New Deal and a 70% marginal tax rate on the wealthiest Americans.
The Squad
Ocasio-Cortez has also become known as a member of the so-called “Squad” in Congress, which includes Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.; Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass.; and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}President Trump regularly uses the term, referring to the progressive group of first-term minority female lawmakers who sometimes challenge the ideas of House Speaker Nancy Pelosr, D-Calif., and the Democratic establishment.