Democratic socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman to ever be elected to Congress on Tuesday — and three days later she has announced that she is homeless.
Ocasio-Cortez has been making headlines for months with her socialist platform. After defeating 10-term Rep. Joe Crowley and her Republican challenger, she will represent New York’s 14th Congressional District.
In an interview with The New York Times, Ocasio-Cortez explained that until her new job starts in January, she will be without an income… and cannot afford to pay rent for an apartment in Washington D.C. She didn’t save enough before launching her political campaign.
Ocasio-Cortez explained to the publication that she transition period between now and the start of her job “will be very unusual, because I can’t really take a salary.”
“I have three months without a salary before I’m a member of Congress. So, how do I get an apartment? Those little things are very real,” Ocasio-Cortez explained to The New York Times.
The socialist explained that she had saved a small amount of money prior to quitting her job as a bartender in New York, and that she had tried to plan accordingly.
“We’re kind of just dealing with the logistics of it day by day, but I’ve really been just kind of squirreling away and then hoping that gets me to January,” she said.
The New York Times chief correspondent Shane Goldmacher tweeted out a portion of her interview, and it quickly gained attention on social media.
Ocasio-Cortez responded to the tweet saying, “There are many little ways in which our electoral system isn’t ever designed (nor prepared) for working-class people to lead,” she tweeted. “This is one of them (don’t worry by the way – we’re working it out!)”
Ocasio-Cortez has come under fire in the past for claiming to be a working class leader while wearing $3,000 dresses to photoshoots.
There are many little ways in which our electoral system isn’t even designed (nor prepared) for working-class people to lead.
This is one of them (don’t worry btw – we’re working it out!)
⬇️ https://t.co/PEQ5ccSDSO— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 8, 2018
Many Twitter users were quick to question how the socialist is unable to afford rent —
https://twitter.com/Alelew24/status/1060944101225517056
https://twitter.com/stephanielasek/status/1060925433468932099
If ur gonna be a young politician u need to be twice as smart to gain the confidence of the people who have seniority and aren't nuts for being skeptical that she can do the job! See this is the problem with socialists, they can barely run their own lives yet want to run mine!
— Maclain Hunter (Logical Concept) (@MaclainHunter) November 9, 2018
According to NBC Washington, once Ocasio-Cortez’s congressional salary kicks in, she will be making $174,000 per year as a member of Congress.
A recent report from Zumper detailed the most expensive rent prices across the country. In Nov. 2018, Washington D.C. ranked number seven on the list, with a one-bedroom apartment costing roughly $2,170 per month.
–The Horn editorial team