Outgoing Sen. Claire McCaskill says she’s unsure why Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has become so popular among Democrats.
But the Missouri Democrat has some advice for the young rising liberal star.
In an interview with CNN, McCaskill admitted, “I’m a little confused why she’s the thing,” after admitting she didn’t know Ocasio-Cortez when asked if the self-proclaimed democratic socialist was a “crazy Democrat” like the ones she warned about during the 2018 campaign trail. McCaskill did say the 29-year-old was a “good example” of a “bright shiny new object” that came out of nowhere and surprised people when she beat a very experienced congressman.
Ocasio-Cortez defeated Democratic incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley in June during the primary race. She then beat her Republican opponent Anthony Pappas in the general election and will represent New York’s 14th Congressional District in the next Congress. Among her top priorities are climate change, income inequality, and ending “school-to-prison pipelines.”
Despite her uncertainty about Ocasio-Cortez’s appeal, McCaskill, who lost her re-election bid to Republican Josh Hawley last month, wished Ocasio-Cortez success.
“She’s now talked about a lot. I’m not sure what she’s done yet to generate that kind of enthusiasm, but I wish her well. I hope she hangs the moon,” McCaskill said before adding a note of caution.
“But I hope she also realizes that the parts of the country that are rejecting the Democratic Party, like a whole lot of white working class voters, need to hear about how their work is going to be respected, and the dignity of their jobs, and how we can really stick to issues that we can actually accomplish something on,” McCaskill said.
“The rhetoric is cheap. Getting results is a lot harder,” McCaskill added.
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