Ocasio-Cortez taps supporters for donations as former primary opponent pitches for Kennedy

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is asking her supporters to donate to Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) amid news that her former primary opponent is fundraising for Rep. Joseph Kennedy III (D-Mass.), who is set to face the Massachusetts senator in a primary next year.  

“While Ed Markey is fighting for the Green New Deal in the Senate, Joe Kennedy is getting campaign support from Crowley hosting a high dollar fundraiser on October 15,” Ocasio-Cortez’s fundraising email said, referring to Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.).

{mosads}The email points readers to a headline from the Boston Globe reading, “That guy who AOC beat? He’s hosting a fund-raiser for Joe Kennedy.” 

“We need to help keep Markey in the Senate where he has a proven record of fighting for transformative change,” the email continued. 

The Kennedy campaign said in a statement to The Hill that the Massachusetts congressman was “grateful” for the support he had received in the early stages of the race. 

“Joe is grateful for all the support he is receiving in the early stages of his campaign. At the end of the day, he knows this race will be decided by the people of Massachusetts — and them alone,” the statement read. 

An individual close to Kennedy’s campaign noted that congressman has maintained a close friendship with Crowley, going back to when the grandson of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy was first elected in 2012. 

Ocasio-Cortez stunned the political world by defeating Crowley in a Democratic primary in New York’s 14th District last year. 

Ocasio-Cortez has endorsed Markey in the Massachusetts Democratic primary, after working with him to co-sponsor the Green New Deal in the House and the Senate. 

Kennedy announced last month he would challenge Markey, calling for generational change in Washington.