What Donald Trump and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have in common

It would be easy to discount the influence of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the newcomer who beat longtime Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y., in a primary contest last week. But that would be wrong.

Ocasio-Cortez has a lot going for her. She is young, attractive, passionate, and represents a new direction for a party that has seen too many demoralizing losses in recent years. In 2016, Democrats lost the White House to Donald Trump and Republicans kept their majorities in Congress. Since the 45th president took office, Democrats have been defeated by policy victories in the legislative arena. And now, they’re reeling from the news that President Trump will have the chance to appoint a second justice to the Supreme Court.