Popular Fox News commentator and devout Republican Sean Hannity recently covered the agenda of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who won the Democratic nomination for New York's 14th District in a surprise victory against opponent Joe Crowley.
Fox News is not known for accurate reporting, yet Ocasio-Cortez, a Democratic Socialist, took to Twitter to agree with Hannity's description of her agenda.
In keeping with Fox News tradition, Hannity represented policies like "Medicare for all," "clean campaign finance," and "higher education for all" as the rumblings of a socialist takeover, which made Ocasio-Cortez's response all the more gratifying. Social media relished the Democratic nominee's comeback.
While Fox News is focused on instilling fear of Ocasio-Cortez in its viewers, her election represents, for many, a reason to hope.
Her opponent, Representative Joe Crowley (D-NY) was the favorite to replace House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and to ascend to Speaker of the House if the Democrats regained their majority. Crowley outspent Ocasio-Cortez nearly seventeen to one and had not had a challenge in the primary since 2004. During the campaign, Crowley skipped two debates against Ocasio-Cortez, sending a surrogate instead. Many took his absence as a sign of his confidence in a victory.
Ocasio-Cortez's victory seemed against all odds. When discussing reasons for the surprise victory, Ocasio-Cortez said:
“People try to identify who is the most likely person to turn out, and what we did is that we changed who turns out. And that changes the whole electorate.”
That didn't stop many people from dismissing her win as a matter of demographics due to the diversity of the 14th District, a majority-minority district which includes the Bronx and parts of Queens. Ocasio-Cortez took to Twitter to rebuke these skeptics as well.
Some are hoping that Ocasio-Cortez's win is a signal of a nationwide step to the left in response to increasing uncertainty characterizing the era of President Donald Trump.
Trump also had something to say about Ocasio-Cortez's win, but unlike Hannity, he seemed excited.
Trump's giddiness at Crowley's loss made him seem unaware that the woman who ousted him was even further left and more vocal against the Trump administration's policies. Americans were quick to inform him.
It's too soon to say whether or not Ocasio-Cortez's victory is indicative of the impending "blue wave" Democrats are hoping for or if her win will remain local to New York. Regardless, a Democratic candidate defeating a longtime incumbent with such a far left platform has instilled a weary Democratic base with a sliver of hope.
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