The victory, in a New York district primary election to determine who stands against the Republicans in November’s midterms for a seat in Congress, immediately prompted debate about the wider ramifications for the Democrats, and whether it heralds a further move to the left.
Ocasio-Cortez is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and a former organizer for Bernie Sanders. She would be the youngest female member of Congress in history if she wins as expected in November.
She won by a margin of 57.5%- 42.5% over Crowley in a majority minority district that included parts of Queens and the Bronx.
In the election – one of several primary victories by progressives – Ocasio-Cortez won 57.5% of the vote and Crowley had 42.5%. The district includes parts of Queens and the Bronx.
When the result was called, a visibly shocked Ocasio-Cortez clasped her hands to her mouth. “Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God,” she repeated. She then said: “We meet a machine with a movement, and that is what we have done today … working-class Americans want a clear champion and there is nothing radical about moral clarity in 2018.”
Crowley, head of the Queens county Democratic party and the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives, was widely rumored to have ambitions to succeed Nancy Pelosi as Democratic leader in the House when the California Democrat stepped down. He had raised over $3m for his campaign, 10 times the amount raised by Ocasio-Cortez.
He had expressed confidence about the race in private conversations and as one national Democratic strategist told the Guardian: “The Crowley team did not raise red flags or ask allies for help with his primary.” Prior to 2018, Crowley had not even faced a primary since 2004, years before his 28-year-old opponent was even eligible to vote.
The upset was compared by observers to the shock defeat of Eric Cantor, the number two House Republican, to a Tea Party candidate, David Brat, in 2014. Cantor’s defeat stopped any momentum for Republicans in Congress on immigration reform. It also helped to create the hard-right House Freedom Caucus and drive out the former speaker John Boehner.
Pelosi, who is under pressure to step aside and pave the way for a new generation, insisted the win for the left of the party was not representative of a wider trend.
Pelosi said: “They made a choice in one district. The fact that in a very progressive district in New York, it went more progressive … is about that district. It is not to be viewed as something that stands for anything else.”
Asked if Democratic leadership should be more reflective of a party that is increasingly diverse, progressive and young, Pelosi replied: “I’m female, I’m progressive – so what’s your problem? Two out of three ain’t bad.”
Ocasio-Cortez ran on an unapologetically left wing platform that included a federal jobs guarantee program and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency responsible for border enforcement. The Puerto Rican American also benefited from the changing demographics of a district with a growing Hispanic population and attacked Crowley for his ties to Wall Street, accusing him of being out of touch with his increasingly diverse district.
She ran on a platform of universal healthcare, a federal jobs guarantee program and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice), the agency responsible for border enforcement. Like Sanders, she shunned corporate donations and attacked her opponent’s ties to Wall Street, accusing him of being out of touch with his increasingly diverse district.
“I think a lot of working-class Americans and voters here have been waiting for an unapologetic champion for economic, social and racial dignity in the United States,” Ocasio-Cortez told CBS. “And we provided a very direct message, a very clear message.”
Speaking in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Donald Trump weighed in on the result, taking shots at the Democratic incumbent: “For Crowley to lose that election was a shocker. I was surprised.” Trump added: “I think he probably took it for granted. I can’t say that I’m disappointed because I was never a big fan. But he lost his election, he probably shouldn’t have lost his election.”
Victories for progressives
In Maryland, Ben Jealous, the former president of the NAACP, won the Democratic primary for governor against the Prince George’s county executive, Rushern Baker. Jealous ran as an ardent liberal and touted national supporters such as Bernie Sanders as he called for free college tuition and marijuana legalization. Baker ran as a mainstream Democrat with a host of local establishment endorsements. Jealous will face the incumbent Republican Larry Hogan in November.
In Colorado, congressman Jared Polis won the primary for governor. Polis ran on a leftwing platform, including single-payer healthcare. He will face off against the Republican Walker Stapleton, a member of the Bush political dynasty, in November.
Two Republican candidates endorsed by Donald Trump also held off primary challengers Tuesday night.
On Staten Island, the former congressman Michael Grimm failed in his comeback attempt against the incumbent Dan Donovan. Donovan, a comparative moderate, received Trump’s endorsement as part of an effort by Republicans to keep themselves from making a seat that Obama won in 2012 even more vulnerable in the midterms.
In South Carolina, just one day after Donald Trump appeared on his behalf at a raucous rally, Governor Henry McMaster pulled off a narrow victory against the businessman John Warren in the runoff for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.
McMaster will face the Democratic state representative James Smith in the November election.
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