Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticizes Jill Stein’s presidential runs as ‘predatory’

In a recent Instagram story, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized Green Party candidate Jill Stein for her repeated presidential campaigns without significantly growing the party. Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, described Stein’s leadership as "bad" due to the lack of grassroots growth, saying, "If you run for years in a row, and your party has not grown, that’s bad leadership." The congresswoman pointed out Stein’s focus on presidential elections, claiming this approach fails to support down-ballot candidates.

Stein, who has faced accusations of spoiling votes in key battleground states during the 2016 election, was accused of being a "Russian asset" by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Despite the backlash, Stein’s campaign manager noted her ballot presence in multiple states for the 2024 election. In response to Ocasio-Cortez, Stein took to social media, stating, "Democrats sue to kick us off ballots...so which party is authentic, and which is predatory?" Stein defended her record, arguing her focus remains on issues such as climate change and economic hardships.

Ocasio-Cortez clarified her criticism wasn’t against third parties but specifically against Stein’s leadership and lack of a broader strategy. Despite differences, Stein’s campaign remains on the ballot in several key states.