On Tuesday night, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez swept the 14th congressional New York district primary and beat 10-term Democrat incumbent Joe Crowley. Not only did Ocasio-Cortez dethrone a top contender for the next Democratic House Speaker, she's also a 28-year-old progressive Puerto Rican woman who set out to prove that women of color can and will win a seat at the table in 2018.
Born and raised in the Bronx, Ocasio-Cortez was a former campaign organizer for Bernie Sanders and identifies as a socialist. Her platform includes abolishing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), making healthcare universal for all Americans, paid family leave, and more.
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Considering the 14th congressional district encompasses eastern Bronx and part of northern Queens, this is a huge win for the nearly 50 percent of Hispanics who live in the area. In her campaign video, Ocasio-Cortez emphasizes that "Women like me aren't supposed to run for office. I wasn't born into a wealthy or powerful family...I was born in a place where your zip code determines your destiny."
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Crowley, 56, immediately congratulated Ocasio-Cortez and emphasized the importance of the win not only for Democrats, but for the country.
"I want to congratulate . 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."
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Ocasio-Cortez was speechless when she saw the numbers. According to The New York Times, she received 15,897 votes whereas Crowley received 11,761. Many of her supporters were first-time voters.
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During her campaign, she garnered support from people like Cynthia Nixon, who's running against Andrew Cuomo for New York Governor.
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The country couldn't be happier for Ocasio-Cortez, who has inspired millennial women of color to run for office—even when society says they can't and they shouldn't.
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As Ocasio-Cortez said, "This is the start of a movement. Thank you all."
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You can learn more about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her platform here.
Rachel Epstein
Editor
Rachel Epstein is an editor at Marie Claire, where she writes and edits culture, politics, and lifestyle stories ranging from op-eds to profiles to ambitious packages.
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