2022 Midterm Elections | Races to follow: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wins in New York’s 14th District
The 14th Congressional District of New York hands voters a clear choice when it comes to policies in Tuesday’s midterms.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC, was a shoo-in to win reelection on 8 November in New York’s 14th Congressional District. The district is a positive 28 points in favor of the progressive Democratic candidate according to a Cook Partisan Voting Index, up five points from last year.
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Facing Tina Forte, a small business owner and right-wing influencer, Ocasio-Cortez dominated the vote. With 51% of votes reported, she has 70.7% of the vote compared to Forte’s measly 27.4%. The lead is so great at this stage that multiple outlets have already called the election in favour of Ocasio-Cortez.
Forte’s odds of winning were slim to none with FiveThirtyEight putting it at a less than 1% chance.
Who is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez “AOC”?
The incumbent congress woman for New York District 14 became the youngest woman ever to serve in the United States Congress in 2018, age 29 at the time, when she beat Republican nominee Anthony Pappas in the November general election. She primaried Democratic stalwart Joe Crowley and pulled off a stunning upset.
She is part of the Progressive Caucus in the House of Representatives and is a self-proclaimed Democratic-Socialist. She is perhaps most known for her work on the Green New Deal resolution, but supports criminal justice reform, a single-payer health care system, income inequality and immigration reform.
She has been using her high-profile to get more young people registered to vote.
Who is Tina Forte?
Forte, 52, is a Rockland County resident but grew up in the Bronx and Queens congressional district where she is running. She runs a beverage distribution company in the Bronx as well as selling a politics-themed clothing line and being a popular right-wing influencer.
Forte decided to toss her hat in the ring after she contracted covid-19 in March 2020 and was denied a prescription to hydroxychloroquine. Former President Trump touted the drug that medical experts say does not combat the disease.
She developed a social media following posting pro-Trump content, QAnon conspiracies and misinformation about covid-19 and the 2020 election. Since 2020 she has gained over 500,000 followers. She says that she is “not a conspiracy theorist” though and never believed in QAnon.
Her wearing of a hat with the popular QAnon catchphrase and using slogans associated with the conspiracy movement were done so unknowingly she told NY1. She promoted the January 6 “Stop the Steal” rally on social media in the months leading up to the gathering of pro-Trump supporters in front of the White House which was followed by the insurrectionist attack on the US Capitol.