Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez claps back at a Florida representative who called her 'this girl ... whatever she is'

Spencer Platt/Getty

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won a surprise primary election in Queens, New York last month.

• Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis dismissed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as "this girl ... whatever she is" at a recent campaign rally.
• Ocasio-Cortez has since alluded that those comments will cost DeSantis in upcoming elections.
• DeSantis also criticized the progressive candidate accidentally referring to Israel's "occupation of Palestine" in a recent interview, and said she had "no clue what she's talking about."
• Ocasio-Cortez beat an establishment Democrat in New York's congressional primary elections earlier this year, representing a major upset in the Democratic Party.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the millennial Democratic congressional candidate, has clapped back at a Republican representative for dismissing her as "this girl Ocasio-Cortez, or whatever she is."

Ron DeSantis, who represents Florida's 6th District, said at a campaign event on Saturday: "You look at this girl, Ocasio-Cortez, or whatever she is - I mean, she's in a totally different universe. Basically, socialism wrapped in ignorance."

A video of the event in Orange Park, Florida, was posted on YouTube and obtained by HuffPost on Monday. Watch it below:

Later on Monday, Ocasio-Cortez clapped back at DeSantis and alluded that those comments would cost him in upcoming elections.

She tweeted:

"Rep DeSantis, it seems you're confused as to 'whatever I am.'

"I am a Puerto Rican woman. It's strange you don't know what that is, given that ~75,000 Puerto Ricans have relocated to Florida in the 10 [months] since [Hurricane] María.

"But I'm sure these new FL voters appreciate your comments!"

DeSantis is running for Florida's governorship later this year, and was said to be leading his opponent Adam Putnam in a poll published last week. President Donald Trump has endorsed him.

In the campaign video, DeSantis also criticizes a recent PBS News interview Ocasio-Cortez did, where the Democratic candidate referred to Israel's "occupation of Palestine" as being an "increasing crisis of humanitarian condition."

Her comments were a deviation from the US's official position, which recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Ocasio-Cortez walked back her comments moments later, saying in the same interview: "Oh - I think what I meant is the settlements that are increasing in some of these areas and places where Palestinians are experiencing difficulty and access to their housing and homes."

Mohamad Torokman/Reuters

A woman looks on as an Israeli vehicle demolishes Palestinian dwellings in Abu Nuwar, a village in the occupied West Bank.

That didn't stop DeSantis from lashing out at Ocasio-Cortez.

DeSantis said on Saturday: "You're saying that one of our best allies is occupying some country. There's never been a Palestinian state. You're just repeating these canned, left-wing talking points, and you're somehow the savior of the Democratic Party? Good Lord.

"She is, I think, the symptom of some of the problems that we have, or really laying that foundation. She has no clue what she's talking about. She doesn't understand the principles of the Constitution. Hers is just: Spout this talking point or that."

David Vasquez, a spokesman for DeSantis' campaign, told HuffPost that DeSantis' comments were "expanding on the importance of education," and that teaching children the Constitution could "prevent more socialists like Ocasio-Cortez calling for 'free' everything."

He did not answer when asked about the "this girl" comment.

John Raoux/AP

Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump Jr at a gubernatorial campaign rally in Orlando.

Ocasio-Cortez won the Democratic Party's congressional primary election for New York's 14th District last month, beating Joe Crowley, who had occupied his seat since 1999 and been touted as a potential future House speaker. She has since accused Crowley of mounting a third party bid against her.

Her victory in the primaries represented a major upset within the Democratic Party, which has seen a schism between establishment and progressive Democrats since the 2016 election.

Her success has also appeared to rattle the Republican Party. Ocasio-Cortez has been touring the country to support progressive Democratic candidates in their state elections.