Who?
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)
LISTEN: Laslo & AOC
Ask a Pol asks:
The question we’ve been asking all the members of ‘The Squad’ — with scandals following some members and others facing well-funded primary challengers over Israel’s war in Gaza —is The Squad on the ropes?
Key AOC:
“I don't think so, but I think we're always the little guy,” Ocasio-Cortez exclusively told Ask a Pol. “We’re underdogs because we fight for underdogs. And that doesn’t mean we’re on the ropes, but it just means that we know who we fight for and who we respond to.”
Caught our ear:
“Am I surprised by primaries? Absolutely not,” AOC told us. “Just by virtue of the positions that we have, I think we expect, at the very least, a primary challenger for each of our re-elections., especially our first re-elections.”
Go Deeper:
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Matt Laslo: “Did you meet my intern upstairs?”
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: “I don’t know if I did.”
ML: “She’s staking out your office right now.”
AOC: “Oh I was in a hearing.”
ML: “Oh nice. The question I’ve been asking all the members of the Squad: is Squad on the ropes?”
AOC: “I don't think so, but I think we're always the little guy.”
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ML: “Yeah?”
AOC: “We’re always the little guy because we fight for the little guys. That’s what our constituents say — that’s actually what one of my constituents told me. And so we’re always, you know, we’re underdogs because we fight for underdogs. And that doesn’t mean we’re on the ropes, but it just means that we know who we fight for and who we respond to.”
ML: “I mean, have you been surprised at all with the couple of primaries that we are seeing…?”
AOC: “Am I surprised by primaries? Absolutely not.”
ML: “No? That’s what Mr. Cuellar said, that you all should expect this.”
ICYMI — Ask a Pol’s exclusive w/ Rep. Cuellar
AOC: “Absolutely. Just by virtue of the positions that we have, I think we expect, at the very least, a primary challenger for each of our re-elections…”
ML: “Yeah? Oh interesting.”
AOC: “…especially our first re-elections.”
ML: “But then some of the fundraising hasn’t been matching up, at least for Mr. [Jamaal] Bowman and Ms. [Cori] Bush…”
AOC: “I mean, I think…”
ML: “…are you worried at all or — ‘cause it kinda seems like you’re not?”
AOC: “I think the movement is mobilizing and coming together. And, you know, every district is different, but you also have the enormous fundraising success of other members as well.”
ML: “Yeah, right?”
AOC: “Yeah.”
ML: “And do you think, message-wise, that you’re now seeing, your guys’ platform is — for lack of a better term— I mean with Palestine, with Green New Deal, it seems like the party has definitely moved over to your positions.”
AOC: “Absolutely. Yeah. It is moving. What we need — I think we certainly had major policy concessions on everything from climate to student loans. I think, we do need to see some of those real policy concessions on foreign policy in Gaza, for sure.”
ML: “’Cause I know at the start of the year, you and Bowman sat down with [the dean of New York’s delegation Rep.] Gregory Meeks, and it seemed like there was kinda a little bit of a come-to-Jesus moment, ‘cause you guys were in the minority and really needed to lock in the New York seats. Since then, it seems like you guys have really felt sorta an onslaught from within your own party. Is that, again, just like par to the course? Like you don't seem too fazed?”
After exiting the elevator on the 2nd floor of the US Capitol, other reporters start to descend on AOC.
AOC: “I guess, like, I’m less fazed because this is what it's always been. Y’know, I don't know any other way.”
Laughs.
ML: “Yeah?”
Migrant reporter and Ask a Pol contributor Pablo Manríquez asks a question, and we duck out.
ML: “Thank you.”
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"I don't know any other way,” AOC says, unfazed w/ attacks on 'The Squad'