BUFFALO (WBEN) - With less than two weeks to go before Election Night, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced Wednesday that she's coming to Buffalo for a rally in support of Democratic mayoral candidate India Walton.
Walton's campaign provided a statement to WBEN regarding Ocasio-Cortez's endorsement: "We are thrilled that the Congresswoman is coming to Buffalo to support our people-powered campaign. She is an amazing example of an everyday, working class woman of color who ran for office against all odds, defeated a long-time incumbent who ignored her, brought in a large number of first time campaign volunteers, raised significant campaign funds from small dollar donations, and injected vitality, energy, and a bold vision into US politics. In all these regards, she has paved the way for me, and I look forward to having her partnership in the struggle for the safe, healthy Buffalo we all need and deserve."
Ocasio-Cortez isn't the only prominent progressive to endorse Walton. The June primary winner has also received support from Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
When asked for reaction to the endorsement from Ocasio-Cortez, incumbent write-in candidate Byron Brown said the result of the election is up to voting residents.
"It's clear to me that the people of Buffalo don't want people from outside our city trying to select who our elected officials are," said Brown. "It's clear from everything that we have heard and seen from city residents that the residents of Buffalo will choose the person who serves as the next mayor of Buffalo."
Shawn Donahue is an assistant professor of political science at UB, and he believes the timing of this visit is strategic.
"The race is moving more from a persuasion type of a campaign more to turnout, so I think it's not a coincidence that Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez is coming at the beginning of early voting," said Donahue. "I think this endorsement may help more on turnout, where Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez tends to have a lot of support and excitement from younger voters who are also the least likely voters to turn out."
Regardless of the outcome of the election, Donahue said the mayoral race could send a strong signal as to where the Democratic Party is moving.
"Given the fact that Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez is coming here, she's putting her political chops on the line...that if Ms. Walton does not in fact win, it's a sign that the Democratic Party is staying much more with kind of the Joe Biden type of centrist liberal mold," he said. "If India Walton won, it would mean that you would have a very strong progressive voice, a Democratic Socialist, in the second largest city in the state, which would be a real boon to some of the progressive candidates that are looking at running for governor in the next election."
