Ocasio-Cortez responds to Dem senator who said policies 'too far to the left' don't win in Midwest

Posted on by TheEllenBlog

New York congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) responded to Sen. Tammy DuckworthLadda (Tammy) Tammy DuckworthWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Senate panel votes to require Pentagon to rename bases named after Confederates Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE’s (D-Ill.) claim that policies “too far to the left” can’t win in Midwestern states.

“With respect to the Senator, strong, clear advocacy for working class Americans isn’t just for the Bronx,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a tweet on Sunday.

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Ocasio-Cortez, a democratic socialist and former organizer for Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE’s (I-Vt.) presidential campaign two years ago, pointed out that policies to the left of 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhite House accuses Biden of pushing ‘conspiracy theories’ with Trump election claim Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton qualifies to run for county commissioner in Florida MORE won in several Midwestern states.

Sanders won the Democratic primary in Michigan, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Indiana in 2016.

“We then lost several of those states in the general,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “What’s the plan to prevent a repeat?”

Ocasio-Cortez was responding to an interview Duckworth gave to CNN’s Jake Tapper in which she said a political platform that’s “too far to the left” could ostracize voters in the Midwest.

The Hill has reached out to Duckworth’s office for comment.

Duckworth appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday to discuss Ocasio-Cortez’s stunning victory over incumbent Rep. Joseph Crowley (D) in the primary for New York’s 14th Congressional District.

Tapper asked Duckworth if the young candidate represents the future of the Democratic Party.

“I think it’s the future of the party in the Bronx, where she is,” Duckworth said.

“I think that you can’t win the White House without the Midwest and I don’t think you can go too far to the left and still win the Midwest,” Duckworth said during the interview.

Duckworth’s comments echoed those of House Minority Leader Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiTrump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names Black lawmakers unveil bill to remove Confederate statues from Capitol Pelosi: Georgia primary ‘disgrace’ could preview an election debacle in November MORE (D-Calif.), who told people not to get “carried away” with Ocasio-Cortez’s platform.

“They made a choice in one district,” Pelosi said. “So let’s not get yourself carried away as an expert on demographics and the rest of that within the caucus or outside the caucus.”

Ocasio-Cortez pushed back on Pelosi’s comments on Wednesday, saying the Democratic Party is in the middle of a movement.