Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez drives new energy and money to progressive candidates

At a forum Democrat candidate for governorship in Detroit on Monday, the progressive oppressed Abdul El-Sayed knew exactly what to do to make the crowd Turns On

"Who Heard of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?" He asked.

Did they ever have. More than 600 miles from the Ocasio-Cortez district, the crowd of several hundred Michigandais roared with excitement.

"She showed us that when we are honest about our message, when we are honest We are ready to speak out clearly about the policies we believe in, and we are ready to resist the institution, we win elections, "said El-Sayed

El-Sayed, a 33-year-old former Detroit health commissioner. and candidate for the first time, is one of a lucky handful of left-wingers basking in the power of Ocasio-Cortez's sudden stardom. Earlier in the day, Ocasio-Cortez had used its massive Twitter platform for to approve El-Sayed . It has since taken 2,500 subscribers on Twitter and is flooded with national press inquiries.

Ocasio-Cortez, a 28-year-old former organizer of Bernie Sanders who, a few weeks ago, criticized the Democratic establishment for ignoring His campaign now has 600,000 followers hanging on each 280-character missive – much more than just a member of Congress.

And these same establishment democrats are now knocking on his door. A little over a week since she was upset by Joe Crowley, leader of the Queens County Democratic Party, Ocasio-Cortez finds herself as an unlikely kingmaker.

She used her new power to improve the political situation of a large number of candidates. but not all are backed by the Democrats of Justice, a group that has played a vital role in the candidacy of Ocasio-Cortez and is doomed to overthrow the corporate Democrats.

But there are also signs of establishment Democrats hope that its newfound fame can also improve the results of general election of the party – EMILY's List and Sen. Kirsten Gillib rand (D-N.Y.) Have both reached out to the Ocasio-Cortez campaign. (Gillibrand congratulated her on the phone the day after the big victory.)

Democratic strategists believe that an email signed by Ocasio-Cortez would be an instant profiteer, and that his endorsements and campaigns could help progressives to go to the polls in November. .

"She represents the future of our party," Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said Wednesday morning on "The Bill Press Show."

In addition to El-Sayed, Ocasio-Cortez gave the green light to nine congressional candidates: Delaware Senate challenger, Kerri Harris; Kaniela Ing in the 1st Congress District of Hawaii; Ayanna Pressley in Massachusetts 7th; Brent Welder in Kansas & # 39; 3rd; Cori Bush in the 1st Missouri; Chardo Richardson in Florida 7th; Sarah Smith in the state of Washington 9th; and Linsey Fagan in Texas & # 39; 26th.

She also sent a fundraising email to Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), The only Congressman to approve his candidacy, and used his list to hook up a trio of insurgent New York candidates – Cynthia Nixon; Hopeful General State Attorney Zephyr Teachout; and the Senate candidate, Julia Salazar. [19659192] The Ocasio-Cortez hump, these campaigns say, is noticeable almost immediately.

Brent Welder, a labor lawyer and former Sanders campaign organizer, extolled the support of Ocasio-Cortez in a fundraiser by email and tripled his weekly fundraising from about $ 17,000 to well over 56,000.

a 29-year-old state deputy and a colleague of the Socialist Democrats of America, saw his Twitter follow the double. His campaign quickly raised nearly $ 10,000 in small online contributions. Cori Bush, who is challenging the representative of the 10 states, William Lacy Clay in Missouri, said she had raised between $ 17,000 and $ 18,000 last week. She texted with Ocasio-Cortez last Tuesday, and was jubilant when she won.

"I cried for hours, I mean, literally, for hours," Bush said.

Closer to the Ocasio-Cortez base in Queens and the Bronx, Nixon, the Democratic nominee of the governorate, raised $ 25,000 within 24 hours after Ocasio- The Cortez election for his main challenge to Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) and had 1,200 additional registrations by email; Over the next week, she took 30,000 more Instagram followers. For her part, Salazar raised more than $ 20,000 last week, triple the amount she raised the week before.

And the boost goes beyond the money. Ayanna Pressley, a Boston city councilor whose challenge to Rep. Mike Capuano (D-Mass.) Bears at least a superficial resemblance to the Ocasio-Cortez bid against Crowley – although Capuano's allies quickly pointed to differences last week from Providence, Worcester and Martha & Vineyard, his campaign said. And the day after Ocasio-Cortez's victory last Tuesday, El-Sayed made his first national TV hit – an interview with Chris Cuomo on CNN at prime time

. Kerri Harris, a military veteran and non-profit leader Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) Raised $ 15,000 last week – almost as much as she had raised in four months of campaigning. His follow-up Twitter has been multiplied by five and the volunteers are out of the woods.

"While people were excited [before] they were also like," I do not know. We do not want to lose our vote. And now, they are eager to leave! "Said Harris, who traveled to New York on the eve of the elections to volunteer for Ocasio-Cortez.

And in what could be the Ultimate sign of the Ocasio-Cortez call, candidates with no connection to it are trying to hang on to its flirtatious. Ammar Campa-Najjar, a progressive race in the 50th district of Southern California, has invoked his victory in Facebook ads, as have candidates for the Kansas House, Washington State and Minnesota.

As the number of candidates for the Ocasio-Cortez candidacy increases, decisions may be more difficult for the candidate and her allies. An Ocasio-Cortez endorsement is essentially free, but for the Democrats of Justice, who have served his campaign in recent months, investing money in a race is a harder call.

Justice Democrats, knows it too well. About a year ago, Democrats of Justice concluded that the best use of their resources would be to go "all in" for Ocasio-Cortez. They finally implemented the decision earlier this year, moving money and scarce personnel to his campaign – and alienating many other candidates they had endorsed in the process.

Now Trent believes that Ocasio-Cortez is able to raise 2 to 3 million dollars more to support other like-minded candidates.

"We still can not help everyone," he said. "Everyone is going to have a little bump, but I think we have enough juice now to win two or three more races this cycle."