For much of her first term, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez raised her profile by championing left-leaning nationwide initiatives, such as Medicare for All and Green New Deal.
But in recent months, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, whose school district includes parts of Queens and the Bronx, has demonstrated a stronger interest in local issues and lifting people closer to home.
On Wednesday, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez will confirm the state’s first in the contest for governor, backing Ana Maria Archilaan activist who some on the left believes has a chance of becoming the first Latina elected to statewide office.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is expected to appear at a rally for Ms. Archila on Monday, the day before the June 28 preliminary rally, and will also send out a fundraising email. Archila’s campaign believes the endorsement will boost donors and volunteers and energize left-wing Democrats to go to the polls.
Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement, as confirmed by her spokeswoman, Lauren Hitt, may also encourage progressive Democratic leaders across the country to become more interested in the run.
New York’s 2022 Primary Election Guide
As prominent Democratic officials sought to protect their records, Republicans saw an opportunity to infiltrate general election races.
“What the AOC represents is a segment of young voters who are tired of the mainstream Democrats’ passivity on the issues of our time, whether it behind the scenes, are making progress in removing the racist structure of our legal system or siding with the workers,” Archila said in an interview. “The future of the Democratic Party is this new wave and this new generation.”
Ms. Archila, who is running with Jumaane D. Williams, a New York City public advocate, and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, know each other. In 2019, Ms. Archila was Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s guest at the State of the Union speech, after she gained national attention for confronting Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona in the elevator over the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh. to the Supreme Court.
Ms. Archila and another Democratic candidate for governor, Diana Reyna, face an uphill challenge in trying to defeat the newly installed incumbent, Antonio Delgado, a former congressman who left the House of Commons seat last month.
Some elected officials and union leaders worry that Governor Kathy Hochul running primary key too low campaign and that can affect the chance Mr. Delgadoeven though he has more money than Miss Archila.
“While the opposition may want to take advantage of a sleepy voter who doesn’t know about Election Day, we want as many voters as possible to know what’s going on,” said Sochie Nnaemeka, New York state mayor. at stake in this race. The Labor Family Party, endorsed Ms. Archila.
The confirmation from Ms. Ocasio-Cortez does not guarantee victory. Last year, she endorse Maya Wiley, a civil rights attorney and former advisor to Mayor Bill de Blasio, in the race for mayor of New York City. Wiley came in third in the Democratic primary.
Miss Ocasio-Cortez recently authentication Alessandra Biaggi, a state senator representing parts of the Bronx and Westchester counties, in her primary challenge to Representative Sean Patrick Maloney, a moderate Democrat.
Ocasio-Cortez is also open to weighing on the local controversies, recently accusing New York City Council speaker Adrienne Adams of play “dirty politics” amid allegations that she scrapped discretionary funding under her control of leftist members who voted against the $101 billion budget.
In May, she announced that she would endorse the entire list of candidates from the New York Democratic Socialist Party, as well as some backed by the progressive Labor Family Party. The two parties on the left are sometimes at odds with each other. This year, they banded together to support a handful of challengers hoping to elect longtime incumbents in the State Legislature, the same way Ms. Ocasio-Cortez herself did in 2018. .
In some races, young women of color are challenging longtime male incumbents in counties whose demographics have changed during their time in office. Others are challenging heavyweights like Senate energy chairman Kevin Parker. Opponents argue that these veterans have not met the progressive requirements.
The majority of these challengers are seeking seats in the State Assembly, which some on the left have described as an obstacle to pushing a transition agenda through the state legislature. .
There are national echoes in some of these races. Jonathan Soto, a former organizer for Ocasio-Cortez running with her endorsement, is hoping to unmask Congressman Michael Benedetto of the East Bronx. While campaigning to increase parental control over schools and expand access to healthcare, Mr Soto accused Mr. Benedetto of bringing water to conservatives, including former President Donald J. Trump, who gave it to him a few years ago.
Mr. Benedetto, who is backed by the state’s Democratic establishment, strongly denied these claims. In a video posted to Twitter, he announced, “Benedetto is a Trump supporter? Trash!” before tossing Mr. Soto’s campaign materials into the waiting bin.
Mr Benedetto has repeated some conservative attacks on Ms Ocasio-Cortez in pushing back against her opponent, whom he has tried to paint as an out-of-touch extremist.
Representative Inez E. Dickens, who is facing a challenger backed by the congresswoman, took aim at Ms. Ocasio-Cortez: “She needs to really think about coming to my county because I’m going to be going. Stand up and I will push back,” she said.
