Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC)

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing New York's 14th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2019. Her current term ends on January 3, 2027.

Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC, was born in The Bronx in 1989. She earned bachelor's degrees in economics and international relations from Boston University. Before running for Congress, she was an educational director with the National Hispanic Institute, a children's book publisher, a waitress, and a bartender. Ocasio-Cortez also worked as a volunteer organizer for Sen. Bernie Sanders' (independent-Vt.) 2016 presidential campaign.

Ocasio-Cortez was first elected in 2018. She received national media attention when she defeated incumbent Rep. Joseph Crowley (D) 56.7% to 43.3% in the Democratic primary. The New York Times' Shane Goldmacher and Jonathan Martin wrote that the primary was "the most significant loss for a Democratic incumbent in more than a decade, and one that will reverberate across the party and the country."1 During her campaign, Ocasio-Cortez said she supported policies including universal Medicare, free tuition for public college and trade school, 100% renewable energy, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and a federal jobs guarantee.2 In the general election, she defeated Anthony Pappas (R) 78.2% to 13.6%.