The Christian Science Monitor

Ocasio-Cortez gains instant stature in Congress, and social media is a key

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has hardly sat down before she whips out her phone to record the chaos around her. Her fellow members-elect talk above the noise in the packed room. The media jostle each other against the walls.

A minute later, the story pops up on her Instagram feed.

“All right, it’s time to pick out our offices,” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez says in the video. “What’s up? We’re getting our numbers!” She means the lottery numbers that decide the order by which new members get to choose their quarters on Capitol Hill.

“People do lucky dances and rituals and such,” she writes in her next post. “Apparently last time someone did a backflip.”

Since her surprise primary victory in June against top House Democrat Joe Crowley, Representative Ocasio-Cortez – and her social

Politicians as media innovatorsSocial media: ‘authentic’ but challenging

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Christian Science Monitor

The Christian Science Monitor3 min read
NBA Playoffs Without Curry? James? Durant? A New Guard Rises In Basketball.
LeBron James’ basketball career has always been paradoxical with respect to time, whether it was his rise through the NBA ranks as a teenager, or how he remains one of the game’s great players upon the completion of his 21st season. The way that camp
The Christian Science Monitor3 min read
Housing Projects: Paris Curates Its Streets, And Navajo Homes Get Addresses
Rural communities often rely on step-by-step, descriptive addresses to access services. But this can lead to logistical snafus, such as emergency vehicles’ delayed response. Using Google’s open-source Plus Codes, the Rural Utah Project has helped reg
The Christian Science Monitor2 min readAmerican Government
Why 'Two Montana Guys' Are Duking It Out In The Senate
About 45 minutes into our Monitor Breakfast on May 2 with Sen. Steve Daines, I finally asked him the question: “So how's your relationship with Jon Tester these days, given that you're trying to get him fired?” Senators Daines and Tester of Montana a

Related Books & Audiobooks