Ocasio-Cortez accuses defeated Dem of mounting third-party challenge

New York congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) accused Rep. Joseph Crowley (D) of refusing to concede the Democratic primary race and mounting a third-party challenge against her.

“[Crowley] stated on live TV that he would absolutely support my candidacy,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Thursday. “Instead, he’s stood me up for all 3 scheduled concession calls.”

.@repjoecrowley stated on live TV that he would absolutely support my candidacy.

Instead, he’s stood me up for all 3 scheduled concession calls.

Now, he’s mounting a 3rd party challenge against me and the Democratic Party- and against the will of @NYWFP.https://t.co/Xvb6Jk8N8q

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) July 12, 2018

Ocasio-Cortez was responding to a New York Times article from Wednesday stating that Crowley is still on the November ballot as a Working Families Party (WFP) candidate.

{mosads}

WFP state director Bill Lipton said Crowley refused to vacate the line he won in New York’s 14th Congressional District.

“It is disappointing that Crowley has refused to vacate the Working Families Party ballot line. He chose not to show Ocasio-Cortez and the WFP respect by allowing us to put Ocasio-Cortez on our ballot line,” Lipton said in a statement to The Hill.

“WFP is giving all we have to electing Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive insurgents all across the nation,” he added. “The only remaining way for Crowley to do the right thing is to switch his residency to Virginia, where his family resides and his children already go to school. It would fix the problem he created in an instant.”

Crowley denied Ocasio-Cortez’s claim on Twitter, saying he has no plans to run with the WFP. 

“Was honored to have their support. I’m not running,” Crowley wrote.

“For record you can only be removed from the ballot if 1) you move out of NY; 2) die; 3) be convicted of a crime; 4) accept a nomination for another office (in a place I don’t live),” he added.

I don’t plan on moving out of New York, have a clean record, hope God’s will is that I don’t die, and won’t commit what I honestly believe to be election fraud. https://t.co/Cxk3s5zALi

— Joe Crowley (@JoeCrowleyNY) July 12, 2018

Crowley also took a shot at Ocasio-Cortez and said he was not willing “to air grievances on Twitter.”

“Alexandria, the race is over and Democrats need to come together,” Crowley tweeted. “I’ve made my support for you clear and the fact that I’m not running. We’ve scheduled phone calls and your team has not followed through. I’d like to connect but I’m not willing to air grievances on Twitter.”

Alexandria, the race is over and Democrats need to come together. I’ve made my support for you clear and the fact that I’m not running. We’ve scheduled phone calls and your team has not followed through. I’d like to connect but I’m not willing to air grievances on Twitter. https://t.co/hxEeWEpI2O

— Joe Crowley (@JoeCrowleyNY) July 12, 2018

A Crowley campaign aide told The Hill that Ocasio-Cortez’s claim about him standing up concession calls was a lie. 

Numerous phone calls have been set up but Ocasio-Cortez’s aides have failed to follow through with providing a phone number, the aide said.

The Hill has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign office for comment. 

Crowley’s aide also pointed out that Crowley conceded on election night after Ocasio-Cortez’s stunning victory over the 10-time incumbent.

He even took the stage during his election night watch party to dedicate a rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” to Ocasio-Cortez. 

He also congratulated her victory on election night and pledged to support her and other Democrats in their race to take back the House majority in November.

Ocasio-Cortez, a self-described democratic socialist, uprooted the No. 4 House Democrat in the primary race last month.

— Updated 2:36 p.m.