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Senator Bernie Sanders made his return to the national spotlight on Tuesday, October 15 after suffering a heart attack earlier this month. Sanders had a strong showing in the CNN/New York Times Democratic Presidential Debate, but it was what was going on behind the scenes in the final hour that was the big story.
According to reports, Sanders is set to land an endorsement from star Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a favorite among the most progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Ocasio-Cortez will be endorsing his campaign at a Queens rally Saturday.
Along with the endorsement from AOC, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar also threw her support behind Sanders and it is expected that the remainder of “The Squad” could also be following suit.
“Bernie is leading a working-class movement to defeat Donald Trump that transcends generation, ethnicity and geography,” Omar said in a statement, via the New York Times.
Landing endorsements from the rookie Congresswomen could go a long way as Sanders attempts to revamp his campaign. In recent weeks, Sanders have watched his poll numbers shrink as Senator Elizabeth Warren began establishing herself as the frontrunner and favorite among candidates.
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Everything you need to know about AOC can be seen below.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Ethnicity & Heritage
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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is of Puerto Rican descent. Her father, Sergio Ocasio, was an architect of Puerto Rican descent who was born in the Bronx. Her mother, Blanca Ocasio-Cortez, was born in Puerto Rico. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez grew up in the Bronx, New York City and took part in the National Hispanic Institute’s Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Bio
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Born: October 13, 1989 (29 years old)
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx and raised in the neighborhood until the age of 5. Her family then relocated to Yorktown Heights, a suburb in Westchester County, where she attended Yorktown High School before graduating in 2007. Despite moving away from New York City, Ocasio-Cortez would regularly return to the Bronx to visit her extended family.
Ocasio-Cortez went on to attend Boston University where she graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in international relations and economics.
Her father passed away from lung cancer in 2008.
After graduating college, Ocasio-Cortez returned to the Bronx and worked as a bartender and waitress in Manhattan. Her mother was cleaning houses and drove school buses while they fought the foreclosure of their home following her father’s death.
Ocasio-Cortez became more engaged in politics when she worked on Bernie Sanders’ campaign in 2016 where she traveled to speak with people affected by real issues. Ocasio-Cortez visited Flint, Michigan to discuss the water crisis and Standing Rock where she discussed the Dakota Access Pipeline.
After that experience, Ocasio-Cortez ran for the U.S. House of Representatives and launched a strong grassroots campaign where she ultimately upended Democratic Caucus Chair Joe Crowley. She was the first person to challenge Crowley since 2004 and won the election despite spending just $194,000 compared to Crowley’s $3.4 million.
Ocasio-Cortez has been endorsed by civil rights and progressive groups like MoveOn, Justice Democrats, Brand New Congress, Black Lives Matter, and Democracy for America.
