Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez refused to do more active campaigning for Bernie Sanders in protest of the presidential candidate’s embrace of controversial podcaster Joe Rogan, it has been reported.

The House rep, who has become a rising star among progressives since her shock election victory in 2018, did not deny a report that she turned down repeated requests by Sanders’ campaign to appear at his rallies in recent weeks.

While Ocasio-Cortez did speak at two large-scale rallies on behalf of Sanders in New Hampshire and Michigan, the senator’s presidential campaign had to make a considerable effort just to get her there.

‘It was like pulling teeth to get her to New Hampshire,’ a source told Huffington Post.

After several invitations, Ocasio-Cortez finally agreed to speak at the rally in Durham, New Hampshire, just days before the February 12 first-in-the-nation primary.

In the weeks that followed, however, the New York congresswoman was nowhere to be found, a fact noted by several political observers.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (left) appears at a rally for Senator Bernie Sanders (right) in Durham, New Hampshire, on February 10. The New York congresswoman reportedly declined several invitations from the campaign to do more appearances

From February 11 until March 8, Ocasio-Cortez declined several invites to speak on behalf of Sanders.

The campaign asked her to appear at rallies in Nevada, South Carolina, and some of the 14 states that voted on Super Tuesday, the Huffington Post reported.

During that period, Sanders went from being the front runner following his impressive showings in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada, to falling behind the current delegate leader, Joe Biden.

Biden crushed Sanders in the South Carolina primary and went on to capture the most delegates on Super Tuesday - capping a stunning reversal from just days earlier.

With Sanders’ campaign reeling and in desperate need of help, it was again turned to Ocasio-Cortez, who agreed at the last minute to deliver a get-out-the-vote speech at a rally for the Vermont senator in Ann Arbor, Michigan, last Sunday.

On the night before the rally, Sanders’ campaign issued a revised media advisory noting that Ocasio-Cortez would be speaking at the event.

The recent absence of Ocasio-Cortez at Sanders’ rallies is in marked contrast to the intense stumping she did for the senator in the fall and winter.

Ocasio-Cortez spoke for Sanders at 15 rallies and demonstrations beginning in October and stretching into January - the most notable appearance being at a major demonstration in Queens, New York, that drew an estimated 26,000 people.

She agreed to appear on behalf of Sanders while the senator was stuck in Washington, DC, where he needed to be present for President Trump’s impeachment trial.

Ocasio-Cortez was reportedly upset by the Sanders' campaign's decision to tout an endorsement by controversial podcaster Joe Rogan (left)

Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Sanders in mid-October, and the campaign praised her for the support, especially after the senator suffered a heart attack.

‘Senator Sanders and our campaign will never forget that in one of the most difficult moments for us, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez gave us a boost with her strong endorsement,’ campaign manager Faiz Shakir told Huffington Post.

‘And she has remained a steady and consistent ally, supporter, surrogate and adviser to the senator ever since.’

A spokesperson for Ocasio-Cortez denied there was any lingering tension between the congresswoman and Sanders.

‘The plan was always that she would slow down her surrogate work in February, after Iowa, to focus on her re-elect and congressional duties,’ Lauren Hitt said.

Reports, however, indicate that there was friction between Ocasio-Cortez and the campaign starting in late January.

During a rally in Ames, Iowa, on January 25, Ocasio-Cortez did not mention the senator’s name - an omission noticed by Fox News.

At the rally, Ocasio-Cortez also encouraged people to warn others whenever immigration authorities were in their communities looking for undocumented immigrants.

According to Vanity Fair, Shakir expressed his dissatisfaction with Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks about helping others avoid immigration authorities.

Ocasio-Cortez did appear at a rally for Sanders in Ann Arbor, Michigan, last Sunday, but her absence at other events was notable

While the Sanders campaign supports providing a path of citizenship for those who are undocumented in the United States, it has been working to shed the impression that it is encouraging non-cooperation with federal authorities.

The campaign denied the Vanity Fair report that Shakir admonished Ocasio-Cortez over her remarks.

Two days prior to the event in Ames, Sanders ignited controversy among progressives and liberals when his campaign promoted a friendly interview he gave to Rogan.

Sanders had recently appeared on Rogan’s popular podcast, Joe Rogan Experience. The episode was one of Rogan’s most listened to and watched.

When Rogan mentioned in a later podcast that he would probably vote for Sanders, the senator’s campaign tweeted the comment.

This angered a large number of progressives who noted that Rogan has made comments in the past viewed as transphobic and racist.

While Rogan has expressed political views that are mostly liberal, others have faulted him for inviting far-right figures onto his podcast, including Alex Jones, Stefan Molyneux, Proud Boys founder Gavin McGinnes, and actor Roseanne Barr.

The Sanders campaign tried to portray Rogan’s comments as proof that the Vermont senator can widen his appeal to those who may not be inclined to vote for Democrats.

After the Rogan controversy and the Ames speech, Ocasio-Cortez did not make an appearance on Sanders’ behalf for another 16 days.