Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she was only Democrat booed by Republicans during House speaker vote

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox

Get our free Inside Washington email

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has claimed she was the only Democrat booed by Republicans when she voted for Nancy Pelosi as House speaker.

“Over 200 members voted for Nancy Pelosi today, yet the GOP only booed one: me,” the 29-year-old wrote on Twitter on Thursday evening. “Don’t hate me cause you ain’t me, fellas.”

The incident occurred earlier in the afternoon as the House, which reconvened following the festive break, voted for the next speaker following November's midterms elections.

After Ms Ocasio-Cortez – the youngest congresswoman ever elected to the House – verbally cast her vote, footage of the ceremony picked up audible murmurs in the crowd, though it was unclear if they were boos.

A New York Times reporter on Capitol Hill, Michael Barbaro, tweeted at the time that Republicans “gently and playfully” booed Ms Ocasio-Cortez.

After the apparent boos, Ms Ocasio-Cortez and Democratic colleagues could be seen smiling at one another as a ripple of laughter breaks out across the chamber.

Her vote contributed to a 220-192 victory for Ms Pelosi over House minority leader Kevin McCarthy, and so inaugurated a new phase of Donald Trump’s presidency; one in which he will be met with fierce resistance from the now Democrat-controlled House.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, seen as a rising star in the party, has repeatedly attracted the ire of Republican politicians and right-wing media since her shock primary win last year over incumbent New York congressman Joe Crowley.

One anonymous Twitter user’s bid to discredit Ms Ocasio-Cortez on Thursday badly backfired after they posted footage of the left-wing politician dancing while a student at Boston University in 2010.

Instead of being met with scorn, she was widely praised for her “adorable” take on a famous dance from cult 1980s movie The Breakfast Club.

She is also viewed with caution among many centrist Democrats. Despite backing Ms Pelosi for speaker, she was one of only three Democrats on Thursday to vote against a House rules package championed by the party leadership.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez said she will not support new guidelines that include a provision known as "PAYGO” or “pay as you go”, which requires new spending to be offset by cuts elsewhere or increases in revenue.