Published 15:58 IST, November 4th 2020
US election 2020: AOC secures 2nd term despite spending $10 mn less than Republican rival
Alexandria is re-elected in US New York’s 14th congressional district in Boroughs, Queens, and Bronx with 40-percentage point lead in just 2/3rd ballot count.
Advertisement
Dem Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, known by initials AOC, cruised to a second term as the self-described socialist secured victory in the primary competition of ballots casting despite her Republican contender raising $10 million to defeat her in the race. On a primary day, the incumbent bagged 73 percent support to 20 percent achieved by her thoroughly funded rival Michelle Caruso-Cabrera. The former financial news reporter backed by Wall Street Michelle was defeated by the congresswoman Alexandria with a significant margin in the contentious primary. Alexandria is re-elected in New York’s 14th congressional district in Boroughs, Queens, and The Bronx.
Meanwhile, members of the New York rep's self-described "Squad" of lawmakers, Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib from Detroit had a sweeping win after Omar defeated Republican representative from Minnesota's fifth congressional district, Lacy Johnson. Meanwhile, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley from Boston defeated Pressley independent candidate Roy Owens. Congresswoman Alexandria beat the GOP challenger John Cummings, a former NYPD police officer from the Bronx. Ocasio-Cortez was declared the winner with a nearly 40-percentage point lead for the blue seat in just 2/3rd of the ballot counting. Democratic Rep. Ocasio-Cortez had raised more than $17 million for her second congressional campaign and won nearly 80 percent in 2018.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Republican opponent 'didn't try'
A pusher of the criminal justice reform and a catholic, the prominent New York progressive had her ratings climbing to favorable marks according to Gallup polls despite the constant Republican attacks made at her. “When I won in 2018, many dismissed our victory as a ‘fluke,'” AOC tweeted. “Our [2016] win was treated as an aberration or because my opponent ‘didn’t try. So from the start, tonight’s race was important to me,” she added. “Tonight we are proving that the people’s movement in NY isn’t an accident. It‘s a mandate,” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said. The former CNBC correspondent Caruso-Cabrera put out a statement thanking supporters and not congratulating AOC.
Advertisement
15:59 IST, November 4th 2020