Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, hit back at the House Republicans who booed her when she voted for Nancy Pelosi to become House speaker.
Ocasio-Cortez, 29, was elected to represent New York's 14th Congressional District in the November midterms, defeating 10-term Democrat incumbent Joe Crowley in the primary last June and Republican Anthony Pappas in the November election.
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When she rose to vote and voice her support for Pelosi becoming speaker, some GOP members booed and groaned, treatment her other Democrat colleagues did not receive.
"Over 200 members voted for Nancy Pelosi today, yet the GOP only booed one: me," Ocasio-Cortez later tweeted. "Don't hate me cause you ain't me, fellas."
Over 200 members voted for Nancy Pelosi today, yet the GOP only booed one: me.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 4, 2019
Don’t hate me cause you ain’t me, fellas 💁🏽♀️ https://t.co/kLor9A0TWa
The young congresswoman has spoken out against the sexism and racism she said she faced in her early days on the Hill before her official swearing in. She said Democratic officials guided her toward a spouse event instead of the main reception for newly elected representatives, mistaking her for the wife of an incoming congressman.
Her popularity, prominence and left-wing policy platform, which includes Medicare for all, tuition-free college and the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, has made Ocasio-Cortez a lightning rod for criticism from the right, such as Fox News and the president's oldest son, Donald Trump Jr.
She previously shot down a reporter for The Washington Examiner who posted to Twitter a sneak photo of her from behind in the hallways of Congress and made comments about her clothes.
"Hill staffer sent me this pic of Ocasio-Cortez they took just now," tweeted reporter Eddie Scarry. "I'll tell you something: That jacket and coat don't look like a girl who struggles."
Ocasio-Cortez has talked about her working-class background growing up in the Bronx and said she could not afford to rent an apartment in Washington, D.C., until her congressional salary kicked in.
"If I walked into Congress wearing a sack, they would laugh & take a picture of my backside," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted in response to Scarry's tweet.
"If I walk in with my best sale-rack clothes, they laugh & take a picture of my backside. Dark hates light—that's why you tune it out. Shine bright & keep it pushing."
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Ocasio-Cortez has lashed out at what she said were "double standards" in how she is viewed compared with former House Speaker Paul Ryan who also entered Congress at a young age.
"Double standards are Paul Ryan being elected at 28 and immediately being given the benefit of his ill-considered policies considered genius; and me winning a primary at 28 to immediately be treated with suspicion & scrutinized, down to my clothing, of being a fraud," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted.
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