Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may have found camaraderie in Washington D.C. as part of the “squad,” but it seems as if her position back home in her district of Queens and the Bronx is less secure. The 29-year-old congresswoman is facing her first challenger in Republican Scherie Murray, as reported by The Inquisitr .
As news of the Boston University alum’s challenge spread, interest in Murray grew quickly. The Jamaican immigrant and successful business owner launched a video that accused Ocasio-Cortez of being more interested in the limelight than solving problems in her home district.
“There’s a crisis in Queens and it’s called AOC. She isn’t worried about us – she’s worried about being famous. That’s why I’m running for Congress,” Scherie wrote on Twitter .
Within hours, Murray began trending on Twitter with around 30,000 tweets.
Conservative personality Candace Owens was one of the first to help Murray’s viral fame, with a tweet conveying her “full support.”
This woman, @ScherieMurray , is running against @AOC for Congress and she has my full support.
It is time for New Yorkers to vote the aspiring actress who HATES America and HATES white people out of office.
AOC is a nasty representation for all women of color.
Vote Murray! https://t.co/54JF6Qcv7L
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) July 17, 2019
The tweet received over 32,000 likes and around 12,000 retweets.
Soon, more and more Twitter users began expressing their thoughts on the new challenger. Many of the tweets, especially from conservative users, expressed their delight with Murray’s decision to run.
“I’m just hearing about you and did a little research. I like your message. Don’t even know if you are a Democrat or a Republican. But it doesn’t matter. I support you fully. I don’t vote party lines, I vote progress lines. You can help move us forward,” said one fan in a tweet .
Others echoed similar views, such as Kambree Kawahine Koa, a self-described socially liberal but fiscally conservative writer, as well as Twitter personality Derek Schwartz.
She is wise smar, educated and is running against AOC. Game on.
Give @ScherieMurray a follow https://t.co/OngxakDwen
— Kambree (@KamVTV) July 17, 2019
Scherie, you have made many Americans very happy today. We are looking forward to learning more about you and standing in your corner as you attempt to solve the #CrisisInQueens! #unitethefight
— Derek (@derek_mafs) July 17, 2019
However, others were less positive on her political stances.
“What exactly are you fighting…besides reality?” said one user in a tweet .
“I’d be curious to know what or whom made her to decide to run and why an immigrant woman of color would want to run as a Republican,” tweeted a second.
Adam Tierney, a video game director for Way Forward, was another skeptic of Murray’s run.
https://twitter.com/adamctierney/status/1151530534465495040
Others pointed out that Murray had congratulated Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on her upset victory in 2016, expressing delight with a change with a status quo.
Unfortunately, many also were negative tweets of abuse aimed at the aspiring congresswoman. Adam Rifkin, from LightsforLiberty.org, accused the Murray of being bribed to run, asking who was “paying” her to launch a challenge.
Who is paying you?
— Adam Rifkin ?? (@ifindkarma) July 17, 2019
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s seat will be up for grabs in 2020, as congressmen only serve for two years. She is also facing a second potential challenger in Rich Valdes, another Republican.
