Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has defended Elizabeth Warren against criticism of her Las Vegas debate performance, saying a critique calling the Massachusetts senator “mean and angry” was a “misogynistic trope”.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, who has endorsed Ms Warren’s opponent Bernie Sanders, argued in a series of tweets that the Massachusetts senator's searing attacks on billionaire Michael Bloomberg — which led to considerable positive media attention and a strong day of fundraising for her — showed she is strong, and that some of the responses have been sexist.

“Warren was not mean, nor angry. She was effective,” Ms Ocasio-Cortez said. “And by the way, we are allowed to be angry about racial profiling, You’re allowed to be angry about sexual harassment. Or at big banks committing fraud against single parents. Anger at injustice is quite appropriate.”

Ms Ocasio-Cortez continued: “It’s truly time to retire the misogynistic trope that angry men are powerful, yet angry women are unhinged.

“It’s such gaslighting nonsense,” she said. “You SHOULD be mad at abuse of power. The real question is how one channels that energy into positive change that creates justice.”

Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Show all 18 1 /18 Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Jessica Canicosa, a precinct captain for Bernie Sanders, waits to greet caucus voters at Liberty High School in Henderson, Nevada REUTERS Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Hotel workers at the Bellagio in Las Vegas get to grips with voting papers during the Nevada caucuses AFP via Getty Images Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures A caricature of Bernie Sanders is projected on to a tree during a rally in Las Vegas EPA Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures A woman waits to have a photo taken with Elizabeth Warren during a town hall meeting in Las Vegas REUTERS Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures The threat of coronavirus and other germ-borne illnesses was on some voters' minds at the Democratic caucuses in Henderson, Nevada Getty Images Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Former vice-president Joe Biden takes a selfie with a voter in Las Vegas ahead of the Nevada caucuses REUTERS Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Amy Klobuchar changes her shoes backstage after giving a speech in Exeter, New Hampshire AFP/Getty Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures A warmly-wrapped-up dog attends an Elizabeth Warren event at Amherst Elementary School in Nashua, New Hampshire AFP/Getty Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Bernie Sanders, who romped to victory in New Hampshire against Hillary Clinton in 2016, talks to the media in Manchester Getty Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Joe Biden was hoping to improve on his poor showing in Iowa in the New Hampshire primary Reuters Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Elizabeth Warren, renowned for giving time to supporters for selfies, works the crowd at the University of New Hampshire in Durham Getty Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Joe Biden takes a selfie with a supporter and his child outside a campaign event in Somersworth, New Hampshire on 5 February Reuters Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders quarrel after a confrontation in a TV debate in which Sanders claimed that Warren was not telling the truth about a conversation in which she claimed he had said a woman could not win the presidency on 14 January AP Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Supporter Pat Provencher listens to Pete Buttigieg in Laconia, New Hampshire on 4 February Getty Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Pete Buttigieg speaks at a campaign event in Concord, New Hampshire while awaiting the results of the Iowa caucus Reuters Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Elizabeth Warren is presented with a balloon effigy of herself at a campaign event in Nashua, New Hampshire on 5 February Reuters Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures A Trump supporter rides past a rally for Amy Klobuchar in Des Moines, Iowa on 14 January AP Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures A man holds up a sign criticising billionaires in the presidential race in front of Michael Bloomberg in Compton, Califronia. The former New York mayor skipped the first caucus in Iowa and instead campaigned in California on 3 February Reuters

Ms Ocasio-Cortez was responding specifically to a tweet from Jennifer Rubin, a conservative opinion writer for the Washington Post, who also later tweeted support for Ms Warren on Thursday and even called her attacks on Mr Bloomberg "skillful".

Ms Warren is fighting for her campaign’s life in the Democratic primary, after failing to gain enthusiastic support in New Hampshire and Iowa, the first two states to vote in the primary process.

She is now heading into the Nevada caucuses with the third most delegates in the field, behind Mr Sanders and Pete Buttigieg.

Mr Sanders has the second most pledged delegates at 21 even though he has won the popular vote in both states that have voted so far. Mr Buttigieg leads the field with 22 pledged delegates.

Ms Warren has earned eight pledged delegates so far, while Amy Klobuchar has seven and Joe Biden has six. No other candidate has earned a delegate in the race.