Ocasio-Cortez Slams Congressman Who Calls Her 'This Girl'

ELMHURST, QUEENS -- A Republican Congressman who tried to dismiss rising progressive star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as "this girl...or whatever she is" received a fiery rebuttal from the 28-year-old New York Democratic congressional nominee on Monday.

Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Florida), who is running for governor of the Sunshine State with support from President Donald Trump, was caught on tape making his choice remarks about Ocasio-Cortez at a campaign stop in Orange Park, Florida on Saturday.

"You look at this girl, Ocasio-Cortez or whatever she is, I mean she's in a totally different universe," DeSantis said. "It's basically socialism wrapped in ignorance."

But Ocasio-Cortez wasn't having it. The left-wing political newcomer - who made headlines in June when she unseated longtime Queens Rep. Joe Crowley in New York's Democratic primaries - fired back at the Florida representative on Monday evening via Twitter.

"Rep DeSantis, it seems you‘re confused as to 'whatever I am," she tweeted.

"I am a Puerto Rican woman. It's strange you don't know what that is, given that ~75,000 Puerto Ricans have relocated to Florida in the 10 mos since Maria. But I'm sure these new FL voters appreciate your comments!"

The 39-year-old congressman also harped on Ocasio-Cortez for her controversial remark calling Israel's presence an "occupation of Palestine" in a recent interview on PBS's "Firing Line." She clarified moments later that she meant Israeli settlements were increasing in areas concentrated with Palestinians, joking, "I'm not the expert on geopolitics on this issue."

"There's never been a Palestine state," DeSantis said Saturday. "You're just repeating these canned left wing talking points and you're somehow to savior of the Democratic party? Good Lord."

"She has no clue what she's talking about, she doesn't understand the principles of the constitution."

Ocasio-Cortez will be the Democratic nominee on the ballot this November to represent northern Queens and the eastern Bronx in New York's 14th Congressional District. The self-described Democratic Socialist and former Bernie Sanders campaign staffer is a Bronx native whose campaign is now headquartered out of Elmhurst.

Lead photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images