Ocasio-Cortez: ‘Conventional politics’ says she and man in Irish pub should ‘turn against one other’

New York Democratic House candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Thursday tweeted a photo of herself with a man at an Irish pub, claiming “conventional politics” says she and the man at the bar should “turn against one other” and noting that’s because “conventional politics doesn’t want to see us win.” 

“This [photo] was taken a year ago at one of my 1st-ever stops: a community meeting at an Irish pub,” she tweeted. “This man’s name is Steven. Conventional politics tells you that the two of us should turn against one another.”

“But that’s because conventional politics doesn’t want to see us win,” she added.

This was taken a year ago at one of my 1st-ever stops: a community meeting at an Irish pub.

This man’s name is Steven.

Conventional politics tells you that the two of us should turn against one another.

But that’s because conventional politics doesn’t want to see us win. pic.twitter.com/GrIwscdcmB

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) August 30, 2018

{mosads}Ocasio-Cortez, a democratic socialist who ousted longtime incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) in an upset primary victory earlier this summer, said that voters need to “reject zero-sum thinking and come together without silencing each other’s needs.”

“When we learn to champion our neighbors, we win elections,” she tweeted. “We won our primary with 57% of the vote. That happens when we reject zero-sum thinking and come together without silencing each other’s needs.”

She accused the GOP of having a platform of “division and fear.”

“What we are seeing happen across the country – in Florida, Georgia, Michigan – is that people are rejecting the GOP’s division and fear,” she added. “The United States has always been a multilingual, diverse nation that fights for a more perfect union, towards freedom and justice for all.”

When we learn to champion our neighbors, we win elections.

We won our primary with 57% of the vote. That happens when we reject zero-sum thinking and come together without silencing each other’s needs.

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) August 30, 2018

What we are seeing happen across the country – in Florida, Georgia, Michigan – is that people are rejecting the GOP’s division and fear.

The United States has always been a multilingual, diverse nation that fights for a more perfect union, towards freedom and justice for all.

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) August 30, 2018

Ocasio-Cortez was an organizer for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) before running for Congress. She now travels the nation endorsing candidates with the senator.

Though their track record of endorsements has been uneven, many have pointed to Andrew Gillum’s unexpected victory this week in Florida’s Democratic gubernatorial primary as proof that a more progressive message is resonating with Democratic voters.

Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee, Fla., ran on a very progressive platform in defeating his favored Democratic establishment opponent, Rep. Graham Gwen (D). Many have drawn parallels between his win and Ocasio-Cortez’s.   

Ocasio-Cortez is expected to win her deep-blue district’s general election in November. Gillum will face off with Rep. Ron DeSantis (R) in the November general election.