‘Anti-Choice Extremist’: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Attacks Kasich For Saying She Doesn’t Represent Democratic Party

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attacked former Gov. John Kasich on Monday for saying that she does not represent the Democratic Party, tweeting that he is an “anti-choice extremist.”

The New York Democrat’s criticism came after Kasich, a life-long Republican and outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, said that Ocasio-Cortez is out of line with many Democrats during an interview with Buzzfeed News. The Ohio Republican will be speaking at the Democratic National Convention.

“I think both parties have to have new ideas, and I think this country is moderate,” Kasich told Buzzfeed. “People on the extreme, whether they’re on the left or on the right, they get outsized publicity that tends to define their party.”

“You know, I listen to people all the time make these statements, and because AOC gets outsized publicity doesn’t mean she represents the Democratic Party,” he added. “She’s just a part, just some member of it. And it’s on both sides, whether it’s the Republicans or whether it’s the Democrats.”

Ocasio-Cortez tweeted in response, “It’s great that Kasich has woken up and realized the importance of a Biden-Harris ticket. I hope he gets through to GOP voters. Yet also, something tells me a Republican who fights against women’s rights doesn’t get to say who is or isn’t a representative of the Dem party.”

“We can build bridges & not lose sight of our values. It’s important to remember that Kasich is an anti-choice extremist,” she added.

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“He 100% will (and has) signed away our reproductive rights the moment he has the opportunity to do so,” she tweeted, including a link to an article about Kasich signing a pro-life law as governor. “He is not a friend to workers.”

The dispute comes after more than 100 former and current Democratic politicians sent a letter to the DNC Platform Committee on Friday calling on Biden, Harris and the Democratic Party to make the platform more welcoming to both pro-life Democratic voters and pro-life Independent voters, the Daily Caller News Foundation reported Friday.

“We are concerned that many Democratic leaders support policies on abortion that are radically out of line with public opinion,” the letter said, adding that the Democratic Party is “alienating voters” due to radical abortion policy.

The letter also noted that pro-life Democrats are “concerned about the betrayal of Democratic Party values.”

“An extreme position on abortion rights violates our commitment to inclusivity and diversity,” the letter said. “Polling consistently shows that one in three Democrats are pro-life. We must respect and include these 21 million Democrats.”

Signers included Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, former Nebraska Gov. Ben Nelson, former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter Jr., Minnesota Rep. Collin Peterson, and Hawaii State Sen. Mike Gabbard. Thirty-one of the signers are former and current local officials.