Joe Crowley loses to a 28-year old latina bartender in the political campaign run

WASHINGTON: A 28-year old leftist Latina political novice defeats a ten-term Congressman for a Democratic ticket in a result that analysts said could presage greater polarisation in American politics causes a massive political jolt in the US primaries on Tuesday.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a self-described democratic socialist who was running her first political campaign and was working as a bartender until recently, stunned incumbent Joe Crowley in a race that is seen as a vote against the old guard and establishment Democrats. Crowley is the fourth ranked member of the Democratic Party and was tipped to succeed Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

He was also the chair of the House Democratic Caucus and headed the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans for a period of time, taking great interest in US-India ties.

If Ocasio-Cortez eventually wins the 14th New York Congressional district – which will  include the desi/latino enclaves of Queens and Bronx – in the November elections, as she should in a heavily Democratic area, she is said to become the youngest female lawmaker in Washington.

The shocking result even caught Trump's attention. "Wow! Big Trump Hater Congressman Joe Crowley, who many expected was going to take Nancy Pelosi's place, just LOST his primary election. In other words, he's out! That is a big one that nobody saw happening. Perhaps he should have been nicer, and more respectful, to his President!" Trump tweeted, ignoring the fact that the Latina lady is even more opposed to his policies.

A second tweet suggesting Trump saw the result as a means to rally right-wing Republicans as Democrat rank and a file pushed further left against the party's cautious and moderate establishment leadership. "The Democrats are in Turmoil! Open Borders and unchecked Crime a certain way to lose elections. Republicans are for Strong Borders, NO Crime! A BIG NIGHT!" he wrote.

Trump Republicans see the likes of Ocasio-Cortez as being "loose" on immigration.

Part of the so-called "Resistance" left-wing movement that emerged to oppose Trump but has also clashed with the Democratic Party establishment, Ocasio-Cortez campaigned among other things for the abolishment of the federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. A community organizer and a Bernie Sanders' supporter rising from a working class background, she has led left-wing protests against President Trump's immigration policies and has also called for nationalising health care.

Her campaign was seen as such a long shot that her supporters said that the New York Times did not dedicate a single article on her bid. She raised only $200,000 during her campaign, compared to $3 million that Crowley drummed up. She eventually polled 58 per cent to Crowley's 42 per cent to produce a political earthquake.

A sporting Crowley tasted defeat on Tuesday night and sang Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run in her honor. On Wednesday, the NYT called her a "Democratic Giant Slayer."