Democratic Rising Star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Fires up North Bay Progressives in Debut

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Mike DeWald

 

SAN FRANCISCO — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez brought her new found political star power to the Bay Area Tuesday night, her first visit to the Bay Area following her shocking primary victory in June.  Ocasio-Cortez held two fundraising appearances in San Francisco’s Mission District, an afternoon event held at The Assembly followed by an evening appearance at Gray Area’s Grand Theater.  The Grand Theater event needed to be upgraded to a new venue after tickets to the original event sold out instantly. “The event immediately sold out when we released tickets,” said Claire Lau, Co-Chair of the San Francisco Progressive Alliance “there still are more people that want to come.”

A capacity crowd of over 650 filled the Mission’s Grand Theater, a vast majority of them millennials clamored to the front of the stage to catch a glimpse of their rising Progressive star.  Ocasio-Cortez took the stage a little after 830p to a raucous ovation from the increasingly crammed standing room only theater.  After being introduced by San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim, she began her remarks introducing herself to the Bay Area crowd, talking about her background, and how she’s dealing with newfound political stardom.  She told stories of being recognized while shopping, which elicited a laugh from the heavily millennial-aged crowd.  From there she went heavy on the issues, hitting on health care and student debt as issues that ‘need to be talked about.”  Ocasio-Cortez fired up the crowd talking about issues of social justice that faced generations before her that been left out of the system  proclaiming “we’ve been waiting for all of American history for justice, and we’re not gonna wait anymore.”  The speech was light on specifics, but rather served as a rallying cry for Progressives to go to the streets and get new voters out to the polls, stressing that will be the path to victory saying “Our swing voter is not red to blue, it’s non-voter to voter.”

Ocasio-Cortez shocked the political world when she defeated longtime New York Congressman Joe Crowley in New York’s 14th District Democratic primary in June. Crowley had held the office since 1999, and was considered an easy favorite for re-election.  Some pundits have since chalked up the surprise victory to the changing generational and demographic trends in her primarily Queens, NY district. “She went out there and she was very, very local,” said veteran California Political Strategist Christine Pelosi, “[Ocasio-Cortez] gave them a message about hope, about what was going on in their lives, and how they should be able to  have health care and jobs and opportunity.”  Ocasio-Cortez became an overnight star of the Progressive wing of the Democratic Party, attracting many of the ‘Berniecrats’ who supported Sanders’ 2016 campaign.  Ocasio-Cortez has since appeared on late night television, campaigning nationally for Progressive candidates, as well as ruffling some feathers on both sides of the aisle.

The rise of Ocasio-Cortez’s candidacy has galvanized Progressives, and that reach has extended all the way to the West Coast.  North Coast progressive activist Norman Solomon said Ocasio-Cortez “shows how grass-roots movements can prevail against the corporate establishment and its vast quantities of cash. The Crowley campaign spent upward of $3 million in the Democratic Party primary. The Ocasio-Cortez campaign spent one-tenth as much. He wielded money power. She inspired people power.” But the road isn’t entirely clear for Ocasio-Cortez, who’s rise has also created division within the party.”  Lau says Ocasio-Cortez’s candidate could foster new wave of Democratic socialist candidate nationwide “we are inspired by how solid left Progressive democratic socialist messaging is successful and can beat out a 10 term Democratic incumbent.”

“Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s stunning victory in the NY-14 primary and her appearance in San Francisco to raise money illustrates the dilemma Democrats face as the nation turns to the Midterms in less than 100 days,” said KSRO Political Analyst & SSU Political Scientist David McCuan of the upstart candidacy, “Ocasio-Cortez presents a dilemma for the elders of the party, Democratic Party leaders in DC who are worried about talk of impeachment, progressive policies, and programs that challenge the wings of the party.”  Ocasio-Cortez has also become a target of the GOP, who take aim at the Democratic socialist’s stances on health care, education, and other social positions.

Ocasio-Cortez closed her roughly 20 minute remarks Tuesday night taking on critics who say her platform is only relevant to her 70% minority district in New York, saying “the Bronx isn’t that different from Detroit, the Bronx isn’t that different from St. Louis, the Bronx isn’t that different from Birmingham,”

Ocasio-Cortez’s represents a shift in the dynamics of Democratic politics and the full national impact of her candidacy remains to be seen, but if the packed crowd in the Mission on a Tuesday night is any indication, there is a political future ahead for progressives looking for a national voice.