AOC says whatever happens progressives have won the 'generational moment'

‘The fact of the matter is that the momentum is on our side’

New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has claimed that whatever happens with 3 November’s election, progressives have won the “generational moment”.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, 31, who is running for reelection in New York’s 14th congressional district, is part of a group of progressive first-term Democratic congresswomen, known as the “squad,” alongside Ayanna Pressley, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib.

All four are up for reelection in the House of Representatives on 3 November, and hope to be joined by additional progressive Democratic politicians, including Audrey Denney in California and Mondaire Jones, who is running in New York’s 14th congressional district.

Speaking to Vermont senator, and high profile progressive, Bernie Sanders, during a video interview on Monday, Ms Ocasio-Cortez said that she is excited about the future of US politics.

“I’m absolutely thrilled that this movement is not only succeeding, but that it’s growing,” Ms Ocasio-Cortez said, before she namechecked eight progressive candidates running in November’s election.

After mentioning the members of the “squad,” the 31-year-old said: “We’re winning! We’re doing this thing, and as crazy as it looks at this present moment can feel and as much work as we have to do - I’m already tired for all the work we have to do no matter what the outcome is.”

Ms Ocasio-Cortez added: “The fact of the matter is that the momentum is on our side, and that we're winning, and that we've won the generational argument, and that millennials are radicalised.

“Gen Z is out here with class consciousness, and really I truly believe that we are winning this and I am so incredibly excited.”

Youth turnout for the 2020 election is breaking records, and statistics from the CIRCLE research centre at Tufts University showed that by Monday, more than 10 million people aged between 18-29 had already voted early in 3 November’s election.

A poll from CNN last week also showed that 51 per cent of Americans in that age demographic, which is a mix of Generation Z and millennials, said that they are extremely or very enthusiastic to vote in 2020, compared to just 30 per cent in 2016.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, who is an advocate for a universal single payer healthcare system and the Green New Deal, was featured on the cover of Vanity Fair last week.

While, Mr Sanders came second to presidential candidate Joe Biden in the Democratic primaries earlier for November’s election, as progressive politicians in the US have become more high-profile in recent years.

The four members of the “squad” are all expected to retain their seats in the house on 3 November, as poll aggregator FiveThirtyEight has predicted that Ms Ocasio-Cortez would win her race 99 out of 100 times.

Mr Biden is also leading President Donald Trump in national polls and in key battleground states, as the last day of voting commences across the US.