Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a former populist and Democratic representative from New York, recently made a significant decision that demonstrates her alignment with the Democratic establishment. She finally paid her first dues payment to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which is a requirement for lawmakers participating in House campaign committees. These dues vary depending on the party’s status.
Lawmakers gain influence and power by raising and distributing funds to committees and fellow colleagues. In return for their contributions, parties reward members with better committee assignments and favorable treatment when it comes to legislation. Conversely, members who fail to pay their dues are less likely to receive support from party leadership in advancing their legislative initiatives.
It is worth noting that Ocasio-Cortez, commonly known as AOC, became a member of Congress in 2019 but did not pay her dues until 2024. This delay in fulfilling her financial obligations signifies a gradual shift towards aligning herself with the Democrat establishment.
Despite her previous far-left populist stance, AOC has now emerged as one of the most prominent Democrats in the House. She has utilized her newfound power to support Hunter and President Joe Biden, both of whom are career politicians within the Democrat establishment.
Due to her impressive fundraising abilities, which mirror those of Rep. Matt Gaetz on the populist right, AOC holds significant influence among Democrats. She has the capacity to donate to candidates in highly contested House races, further solidifying her position within the party. According to the New York Times, AOC’s campaign committees have raised over $37 million since 2019. Additionally, her office claims that she has raised an additional $11.1 million for causes that personally concern her. However, until now, she had not contributed any of this money to the DCCC.
“We spent a lot of time, since first coming into office in 2019, working to change this institution,” she told the Times. “And we have successfully done so.”
“We’ve exerted a lot of our power through our existing channels,” she continued. “Now it’s time to assert our influence in larger institutions, including the D.C.C.C.”
