Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Just Made History in New York

"Women like me aren't supposed to run for office."

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On Tuesday night, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez swept the 14th congressional New York district primary and beat 10-term Democrat incumbent Joe Crowley. Not only did Ocasio-Cortez dethrone a top contender for the next Democratic House Speaker, she's also a 28-year-old progressive Puerto Rican woman who set out to prove that women of color can and will win a seat at the table in 2018.

Born and raised in the Bronx, Ocasio-Cortez was a former campaign organizer for Bernie Sanders and identifies as a socialist. Her platform includes abolishing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), making healthcare universal for all Americans, paid family leave, and more.

Considering the 14th congressional district encompasses eastern Bronx and part of northern Queens, this is a huge win for the nearly 50 percent of Hispanics who live in the area. In her campaign video, Ocasio-Cortez emphasizes that "Women like me aren't supposed to run for office. I wasn't born into a wealthy or powerful family...I was born in a place where your zip code determines your destiny."

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Crowley, 56, immediately congratulated Ocasio-Cortez and emphasized the importance of the win not only for Democrats, but for the country.

"I want to congratulate @Ocasio2018. I look forward to supporting her and all Democrats this November. The Trump administration is a threat to everything we stand for here in Queens and the Bronx, and if we don't win back the House this November, we will lose the nation we love."

Ocasio-Cortez was speechless when she saw the numbers. According to The New York Times, she received 15,897 votes whereas Crowley received 11,761. Many of her supporters were first-time voters.

During her campaign, she garnered support from people like Cynthia Nixon, who's running against Andrew Cuomo for New York Governor.

The country couldn't be happier for Ocasio-Cortez, who has inspired millennial women of color to run for office—even when society says they can't and they shouldn't.

As Ocasio-Cortez said, "This is the start of a movement. Thank you all."

You can learn more about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her platform here.

Rachel Epstein
Rachel Epstein

Rachel Epstein is a writer, editor, and content strategist based in New York City. Most recently, she was the Managing Editor at Coveteur, where she oversaw the site’s day-to-day editorial operations. Previously, she was an editor at Marie Claire, where she wrote and edited culture, politics, and lifestyle stories ranging from op-eds to profiles to ambitious packages. She also launched and managed the site’s virtual book club, #ReadWithMC. Offline, she’s likely watching a Heat game or finding a new coffee shop.