Alexandria is originally from the Bronx. She holds a bachelor's degree in economics and international relations from Boston University.

Ballotpedia, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Alexandria founded Brook Avenue Press, a children's book publisher. She previously worked in former Sen. Ted Kennedy's (D-Mass.) foreign affairs and immigration office, as an educational director for the National Hispanic Institute, and in the restaurant business.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez currently serves as a U.S. Representative in Congressional District 14. She was first elected in 2018 and is in her 3rd term. She is a former volunteer organizer for Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. 

Introduced the Place to Prosper Act, which would prevent certain landlords from increasing rents above 3% annually.

Supports legislation for gender-equal pay and for reducing discrimination against women in the workplace.

Supports legislation that will create a living wage union job for "everyone who wants one."

Believes that workers in industries that emit large quantities of greenhouse gases, including the fossil fuel, automotive, and manufacturing industries, among others, should have"first dibs" on jobs in the renewable energy sector.

Supports incentives for local communities to build more affordable housing.

- Introduced the Place to Prosper Act, which would prevent certain landlords from increasing rents above 3% annually.
- Supports legislation for gender-equal pay and for reducing discrimination against women in the workplace.
- Supports legislation that will create a living wage union job for "everyone who wants one."
- Believes that workers in industries that emit large quantities of greenhouse gases, including the fossil fuel, automotive, and manufacturing industries, among others, should have"first dibs" on jobs in the renewable energy sector.
- Supports incentives for local communities to build more affordable housing.

Economy

Supports reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, which first acknowledged domestic violence and sexual assault as crimes and provided federal resources to encourage community-coordinated responses to combating violence against women.

Believes in ending "qualified immunity" for police officers. 

Supported legislation that would abolish the death penalty, end cash bail, and end mandatory minimum sentences.

Introduced legislation that would grant anyone in need access to the "social safety net" even if they had prior involvement with the criminal justice system.

- Supports reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, which first acknowledged domestic violence and sexual assault as crimes and provided federal resources to encourage community-coordinated responses to combating violence against women.
- Believes in ending "qualified immunity" for police officers. 
- Supported legislation that would abolish the death penalty, end cash bail, and end mandatory minimum sentences.
- Introduced legislation that would grant anyone in need access to the "social safety net" even if they had prior involvement with the criminal justice system.

Public Safety

Supports expanding the Medicare program to cover all Americans, which will "negotiate lower prices for drugs and medical equipment as well as curb the astronomically high administrative salaries."

- Supports expanding the Medicare program to cover all Americans, which will "negotiate lower prices for drugs and medical equipment as well as curb the astronomically high administrative salaries."
- Supports abortion access.

Healthcare

Supports the Green New Deal, which will invest in renewable energy and aims to reduce carbon emissions by 2030 to half of their 2010 levels.

- Supports the Green New Deal, which will invest in renewable energy and aims to reduce carbon emissions by 2030 to half of their 2010 levels.

Energy & the Environment

Believes in expanding eligibility for social safety net programs to all persons in need.

Introduced the Embrace Act, which ensured anyone in need was eligible for social safety net programs.

Believes that Congress needs to take back "the right to declare war..."

- Introduced the Embrace Act, which ensured anyone in need was eligible for social safety net programs.
- Believes that Congress needs to take back "the right to declare war..."

Foreign Policy and Immigration

John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of 2023

Co-sponsored the John. R Lewis Voting Rights Act of 2023, which would require certain states and jurisdictions to recieve clearance from the Justice Department for any changes in their voting procedures.

- Co-sponsored the John. R Lewis Voting Rights Act of 2023, which would require certain states and jurisdictions to recieve clearance from the Justice Department for any changes in their voting procedures.

Voting & Elections

Supports tuition-free public colleges and trade schools and forgiving federal and private student loans.

Co-sponsored the  Student Debt Cancellation Act, which forgives outstanding federal and private student loans of all previous and current students in the education system.

Supports tuition free public college and trade schools. 

Supports adequate funding for public schools.

- Co-sponsored the  Student Debt Cancellation Act, which forgives outstanding federal and private student loans of all previous and current students in the education system.
- Supports tuition free public college and trade schools. 
- Supports adequate funding for public schools.

Education

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Tina grew up in the Throggs Neck area of the Bronx. She is married to her husband, with whom she has 2 children and 1 grandchild.

Tina co-owns a beverage distribution company with her husband. 

Ballotpedia, Tina Forte

Tina Forte previously ran for US Representative for District 14 in 2022 but did not win.

Candidate website

Opposes AOC's policies on taxes, business owners, and large employers like Amazon, believing they harm the economy and deny jobs to New Yorkers.

Opposes Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's policies on taxes, business owners, and large employers like Amazon, believing they harm the economy and deny jobs to New Yorkers.

- Opposes Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's policies on taxes, business owners, and large employers like Amazon, believing they harm the economy and deny jobs to New Yorkers.

Supports expunging criminal records of non-violent offenders for crimes that are no longer violations in their home states, such as marijuana possession in states where it is now legal.

Supports expunging criminal records of non-violent offenders for crimes that are no longer violations in their home states, such as marijuana possession in states where it is legalized. 

Plans to fully fund law enforcement and end "dangerous bail reform policies."

Supports police reform measures like Senator Tim Scott’s police reform bill, which would provide better oversight to remove "bad cops" and reward "good cops."

Supports police reform measures similar to Senator Tim Scott’s police reform bill that would have provided greater oversight to remove "bad cops and reward good cops."

- Supports expunging criminal records of non-violent offenders for crimes that are no longer violations in their home states, such as marijuana possession in states where it is legalized. 
- Plans to fully fund law enforcement and end "dangerous bail reform policies."
- Supports police reform measures similar to Senator Tim Scott’s police reform bill that would have provided greater oversight to remove "bad cops and reward good cops."

Believes people should make their own healthcare decisions without government interference and supports reforms to lower healthcare costs and improve accessibility.

Believes citizens should make their own healthcare decisions without government interference. 

Supports reform to reduce healthcare costs and expand accessibility for all.

- Believes citizens should make their own healthcare decisions without government interference. 
- Supports reform to reduce healthcare costs and expand accessibility for all.

As of June 7, 2025, Tina Forte’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports legal immigration and believes the process should be streamlined, especially for skilled workers.

Supports lawful immigration and believes the US citizenship process should be streamlined, especially for skilled workers.

Supports fully funding Customs and Border Protection and Immigration.

Supports fully funding Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration.

Believes "AOC and her Socialist allies have created a crisis at our southern Border" and that New York’s "failed sanctuary city policies encourage lawlessness, strain our resources, and make New Yorkers less safe."

Supports completing a barrier at the Southern border to deter undocumented immigration and human trafficking.

Believes veterans are "the backbone of our freedom" and understands their sacrifices.

Said she "understands the sacrifice our veterans", saying they are "the backbone of our freedom."

- Supports lawful immigration and believes the US citizenship process should be streamlined, especially for skilled workers.
- Supports fully funding Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration.
- Believes "AOC and her Socialist allies have created a crisis at our southern Border" and that New York’s "failed sanctuary city policies encourage lawlessness, strain our resources, and make New Yorkers less safe."
- Supports completing a barrier at the Southern border to deter undocumented immigration and human trafficking.
- Said she "understands the sacrifice our veterans", saying they are "the backbone of our freedom."

Supports school choice, including charter schools and vouchers, to give parents options for their children's education.

Supports school choice and private school vouchers, which are programs and policies that allow families to use public school funds to access schools beyond their local option, including private schools. 

Believes competition enhances all types of schools, including traditional public, charter, and private institutions.

Believes "competition enhances all types of schools," including public, charter, and private institutions.

- Supports school choice and private school vouchers, which are programs and policies that allow families to use public school funds to access schools beyond their local option, including private schools. 
- Believes "competition enhances all types of schools," including public, charter, and private institutions.

Tina Forte

- Your US Representative represents the interests of your district in the US House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. New York currently has 26 US Representatives.
- US Representatives can author, sponsor, debate, and vote on bills that become national law.
- Representatives may serve on congressional committees. Committees focus on certain policy areas, such as transportation, education, or labor. They may also run for higher positions within their party, such as the Speaker of the House or Majority/Minority Leader.
- Representatives are elected to two-year terms. To hold this office, a candidate must be a US Citizen for at least seven years before their election and a New York resident. US Representatives are paid a salary of $174,000/year.