Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez doesn’t think former Vice President Joe Biden is the right fit for the Democratic nomination for president.
In an interview with Vogue, Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said she was wary about making an endorsement prior to the Democratic primary debates this week. But she did add Biden wasn’t the “pragmatic choice,” especially given his recent comments fondly recalling his work with segregationists.
“I think that he’s not a pragmatic choice,” she said.
“That’s my frustration with politics today, that they’re willing to give up every single person in America just for that dude in a diner. . .Just so that you can get this very specific slice of Trump voters? If you pick the perfect candidate like Joe Biden to win that guy in the diner, the cost will make you lose because you will depress turnout as well. And that’s exactly what happened to 2016. We picked the logically fitting candidate, but that candidate did not inspire the turnout that we needed.”
Even without his controversial comments, Biden has been steadily slipping in the polls since he announced his presidential bid, though he still holds a lead over a sea of other Democratic candidates. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) remain his strongest competitors leading into the primary debates.
The favor of Ocasio-Cortez, meanwhile, appears to have some political weight to it. Her pick for a progressive district attorney in Queens, New York, Tiffany Caban, declared victory in her contested race on Tuesday night, though officials say the race remains too close to call.