Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

About Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known by her initials AOC, is a New York City-based, left-wing federal politician. She has served as the representative from the 14th Congressional District since 2019 as a member of the Democratic Party.

On June 26, 2018, Ocasio-Cortez drew national recognition when she won the Democratic Party's primary election for New York's 14th congressional district. She defeated Democratic Caucus Chair Joe Crowley, a 10-term incumbent, in what was widely seen as the biggest upset victory in the 2018 midterm election primaries. She easily won the November general election, defeating Republican Anthony Pappas. She was reelected in the 2020 and 2022 elections.

In September 2021, the American Accountability Foundation filed an ethics complaint against Ocasio-Cortez for attending the Met Gala. The AAF claimed that her attendance amounted to accepting an illegal gift since her estimated $35,000 ticket was paid for by Condé Nast, a for-profit company, not a charity.

Alongside Rashida Tlaib, Ocasio-Cortez advocates a progressive platform that includes support for workplace democracy, Medicare for All, tuition-free public college, a federal jobs guarantee, a Green New Deal, and abolishing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Ocasio-Cortez is a member of "The Squad," a group of progressive House members that includes Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, Cori Bush, and Summer Lee.

As of February 2026, AOC has amassed 9.6 million followers on Instagram, 3.2 million followers on TikTok, 335,000 subscribers on YouTube, and 911,000 followers on her Twitch platform.