AOC To Be To Face Lots Of Competition For Her Seat

Despite her massive national media presence, it appears U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., isn’t taking reelection for granted.

At a Saturday kickoff event in her bid for a second term, the far-left freshman congresswoman told supporters she wanted to see voter turnout in New York’s 14th Congressional District increase by “four times” over her previous run in 2018.

No fewer than 12 Democrats have filed in the district to run against Ocasio-Cortez in the primary election on June 23, according to radio station WINS of New York City. In addition, at least three Republicans will vie for a chance to ultimately win the seat.

“Last election cycle, in the primary as we know, the turnout was quite low,” she told a small crowd in Corona, Queens. “This year, we want to multiply turnout by four times. That’s our goal. We want to secure 60,000 votes in the primary election. We need to start creating a turnout machine right now.”

Federal judge blocks New York law banning ICE agents from wearing masks

Unearthed video exposes El-Sayed’s opinion on driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants

Watch: New Women’s Pro Baseball League Begins With ‘Worst Anthem Rendition of All Time’

Knoxville Mayor Shares Chilling 2020 Talk When Deborah Birx Admitted the Truth Didn’t Matter When It Came to the Science

Watch: 4 of the Most Intense Exchanges When RFK Jr. Put CNN’s Dana Bash in Her Place on COVID and Fauci

Democrats blink as Schumer helps GOP clear key shutdown hurdle

Trump Says ‘Last Chance’ Talks with Iran Are ‘Going on Right Now’

‘Doctor’ El-Sayed’s bizarre health hustle raises campaign headache: ‘Moon Juice Brain Dust’

Trump administration’s immigration push fuels ICE’s biggest arrest month in agency history

Citadel cadet, childhood friend gunned down in vacant Florida lot as police launch manhunt

State Department denies call with under-pressure FIFA president Infantino

Trump says Jeanine Pirro ‘choked’ in Reflecting Pool vandalism case: ‘Folded like an umbrella’

Dem senator accuses Pentagon of murder with boat strikes targeting drug traffickers

GOP lawmaker’s gifts, ‘effusive affection’ toward young staffers detailed in explosive ethics report

Muslim Assailants Kill Church Elder, At Least 20 Other Christians, In Targeted Attacks

“This year, we want to multiply turnout by four times. That’s our goal. We want to secure 60,000 votes in the primary election. We need to start creating a turnout machine right now.”

— U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

Ocasio-Cortez, 30, sent shockwaves through the political world in 2018 when she defeated longtime Democratic incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley in the primary. Prior to his defeat, Crowley was considered in the running to become House speaker if the Democrats recaptured the chamber that November, which they did. (Instead, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, who had been speaker from 2007-2011, regained the gavel.)

The possibility that Ocasio-Cortez could be “primaried” herself, just like Crowley, apparently hasn’t been lost on the member of the so-called “Squad” of freshmen Democrats.

“I think everyone has a right [to run],” she said, according to the New York Post. “I, of course, won my seat with a primary. I would never begrudge anyone trying to run in a primary. I’m committed to organizing.”

“I think everyone has a right [to run for office]. I, of course, won my seat with a primary. I would never begrudge anyone trying to run in a primary. I’m committed to organizing.”

— U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

Ocasio-Cortez is considered difficult to beat. In addition to national media attention, she also amassed more than $5.3 million in campaign funds by the end of 2019, according to OpenSecrets.org.

But the progressive lawmaker has also irritated many Democrats – particularly by being openly hostile toward so-called “establishment” members of the party, the moderate incumbents who tend to drive party decisions, and backing more progressive colleagues and candidates like herself.

In January, Fox News reported that Ocasio-Cortez was building her own fundraising operation for fellow progressives – candidates who would run against moderate incumbents in hopes of replicating her victory over Crowley.