AOC gloats she's ‘very present' in NYC— while her constituents complain she's AWOL
WASHINGTON — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez boasted in a new interview that she's 'very present' in her Bronx and Queens congressional district and that 'it's not unusual' for her to be spotted walking around — despite constituents telling The Post they've seen little of their 'rockstar' rep.
'In national conversations, people see one thing, but at home, what people experience is my presence,' Ocasio-Cortez, 35, told Rolling Stone.
'I'm very present in New York. It's not unusual for me to be walking down the street in Jackson Heights or in the South Bronx or in Astoria, and people see me and they have eyes on me.'
3 Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has faced constituent criticism for focusing on a national tour rather than on her district.
AP
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Paola Morrongiello / NY Post Design
The congresswoman, known by her initials AOC, even likened her presence in her district to President Trump's frequent rallies during the 2024 campaign.
'Trump did that, too, in this last election — he had [hundreds of] rallies in the last cycle. It's something that I think sometimes gets overlooked,' she said.
Earlier this month, The Post ran a profile of Ocasio-Cortez in which her constituents and home-district supporters described her as AWOL while she and Sen. Bernie Sanders (i-Vt.) travel the country preaching democratic socialism as part of their 'Fight the Oligarchy' tour.
3 Ocasio-Cortez speaks at a town hall in Jackson Heights on Friday May 2. Constituents griped she took just six questions.
Michael Nagle
'I wish she did more,' said Aimee Rosato, a campaign volunteer for Ocasio-Cortez. 'We don't need a casino, it drives me a bit wild, she said, referring to a controversial $8 billion casino proposal by Mets owner Steve Cohen, which opponents fear will change the community.
'She will help if it gets her name on national issues,' said Jackson Heights' Gloria Contreras. 'She's about her and getting worldwide attention while ignoring her constituents.'
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