Top conservatives offer praise for Ocasio-Cortez

A number of conservative lawmakers and prominent figures have come out against freshman Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (N.Y.) policies and principles, but seem to agree that the 29-year-old Bronx native has political savvy.

“AOC has what I call ‘gameness’ or competitive heart — the combination of grit, determination, fighting spirit that you can’t coach,” Stephen Bannon, President Trump’s former chief strategist, told Politico in an interview released early Wednesday.

“You either have it or you don’t, and she has it big league,” he continued.

{mosads}”I think her policies and everything are a disaster but I just look at her effectiveness,” conservative activist Mike Cernovich told the news outlet. “No one’s more effective than her right now.”

Though many of those who spoke to the publication oppose many of Ocasio-Cortez’s policies, the Democratic lawmaker’s sharp tongue and powerful command of social media has had Republicans drawing comparisons between her and Trump in recent weeks.

In an interview with The Hill earlier this month, however, Ocasio-Cortez called that comparison “unoriginal” and said that while she and Trump are both “popular on Twitter” and “plain spoken, that’s it.”

“Aside from that, I think it’s an irresponsible comparison given the fact that he’s actively trying to assert mythology and hurt immigrants, and we’re trying to advance a progressive agenda, single-payer health care and a living wage,” she continued.

But that hasn’t stopped Trump-aligned Republicans from admiring her.

“I aspire to be the conservative AOC,” Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz (Fla.), an ardent Trump supporter, told Politico.

The only problem, Gaetz says, is that he “can’t dance for shit.”