Who is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez? : NPR

In an astonishing surprise, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a young socialist activist, a woman of color and a new political figure, toppled Democratic Democrat Joe Crowley in the deep blue of New York.^th Congress District.

Ocasio-Cortez, 28, former organizer of Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign and former employee of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, took part in a "progressive leftist platform", calling for a "political revolution" that included the idea of ​​a "political revolution". Medicare and higher education for all, firearms control measures, the end of private prisons and the abolition of the Immigration and Customs Agency (ICE ).

She defeated Crowley, the Speaker of the House Democratic Caucus, whom many saw as a possible successor to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, if Democrats won a majority in November. Crowley, a 10-year-old incumbent, has not even faced a major challenger since 2004.

In an article published this week in Vogue magazine, Ocasio-Cortez has been described as "a third-generation New Yorker whose family has roots in Puerto Rico [and who] looks much more like voters in the 14th District very diverse than Crowley, a 56-year-old white man. "

On the other hand, vogue Crowley said "renders a lip service to the resistance after Donald Trump, while maintaining a largely centrist policy."

The leftist prospects of Ocasio-Cortez found it inclined to the establishment of the Democratic Party. More particularly, she is a member of the card-carrying American Social Democrats, which has its roots in the Socialist Party of America, whose most famous leader was Eugene V. Debs, a union leader who was a presidential candidate Peruvian ticket 1900-1920.

"What I see is that the Democratic Party considers working-class communities to be taken for granted, it considers people of color to be taken for granted and it assumes that we will get by, no matter how much these proposals are bland ". Cortez said in a recent interview, according to the New York Times.

"It's not an end, it's the beginning," she said Tuesday to enthusiastic supporters.

"You have given hope to this country, you have given this country proof that when you knock on your neighbor's door, when you come to them with love, when you let them know that no matter your position, you are there for them, can change, "she said.

On Sunday, Ocasio-Cortez participated in a protest in Tornillo, Texas, at an ICE Children's Detention Center. She also expressed her solidarity for Puerto Rico, which is still recovering from Hurricane Maria.

Last Tuesday, President Trump suggested in a tweet that Crowley's defeat – the biggest primary upheaval since 2014, while then majority leader Eric Cantor was defeated by economics professor Dave Brat in the 7^th Congressional District – perhaps because it's a "Big Trump Hater" that "should have been nicer, and more respectful, to its president!"

But more likely, the Ocasio-Cortez victory is an indication that Democrats are ready to turn left to counter Republicans who seem to be following a more and more right course. Even so, it would be easy to read too much in his upset victory in a resolutely progressive congressional district dug in parts of the Bronx and Queens, and nearly half Hispanic.

"Women like me are not supposed to run for office," Ocasio-Cortez says in a viral campaign video.

"I was not born into a wealthy family or a powerful family – a mother of Puerto Rico, dad of the South Bronx, I was born in a place where your zip code determines your destiny," she said.

Although Crowley outperformed Ocasio-Cortez by 10 to 1, his focused campaign and aggressive ground game were crucial. Like the decision of his opponent not to present himself for debate.

"This is the second main debate in which Mr. Crowley was a no-show," according to a scathing New York Times editorial released last week. A spokeswoman for Mr. Crowley said that he had scheduling conflicts that would not allow him to attend both debates, inevitably leaving voters wondering – what are we, chopped liver? "

In November, Ocasio-Cortez will face Republican Anthony Pappas, a professor from St. John's University who teaches economics and finance. He ran unopposed in the primary of his party.