Leid Stories—The Democratic Socialist, the Independent and the Democratic Party—07.03.18

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, an avowed democratic socialist, pulled off one of the greatest political upsets last month, when the 28-year-old trounced 10-term congressman and party powerhouse Joe Crowley in his bid for re-election to his “safe” 14th District seat in New York.

Bernie Sanders, the U.S. senator from Vermont said to be thinking of another run for president in 2020, still identifies himself as an Independent, although he caucuses with congressional Democrats and closely identifies with democratic socialism.

Ocasio-Cortez, a new-generation leader, faces a not-so-friendly welcome from establishment Democrats, especially since Crowley, 56, was in line for leadership of the party. Sanders, still blamed by party bigs for “stealing” votes from then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, has not endeared himself to them with rumors of another run. Could Ocasio-Cortez’s stunning victory and Sanders’s appeal to disaffected Democrats create new political possibilities?