Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D), who seemingly rose to national prominence overnight after her stunning upset of longtime Rep. Joe Crowley (D) in June’s Democratic House primary for New York’s 14th district, was officially elected as a member of the House of Representatives during Tuesday’s midterms, becoming the youngest woman to ever do so.

There is just one problem: the new Democratic-led House won’t be seated until January 3 and Ocasio-Cortez quit her job as a bartender to focus on her campaign, so she has no income and no place to live in Washington, D.C.

“We’re kind of just dealing with the logistics of it day by day, but I’ve really been just kind of squirreling away and then hoping that gets me to January,” the 29-year-old Democratic socialist told the New York Times.

A 2015 Quartz report found the median worth of a member of the House of Representatives was a little over $1 million and over $3 million for a senator.


Ocasio-Cortez shared the Times article on Twitter and pointed out that “There are many little ways in which our electoral system isn’t even designed (nor prepared) for working-class people to lead.”

However, she urged supporters not to worry as she gets ready to make the move to the nation’s capital.

There are many little ways in which our electoral system isn’t even designed (nor prepared) for working-class people to lead. This is one of them (don’t worry btw – we’re working it out!)

⬇️ https://t.co/PEQ5ccSDSO — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) November 8, 2018

Democrats’ rising star from New York City narrowly edged out Abby Finkenauer (D-IA) for the title of youngest-ever woman elected to Congress, as the Iowa Democrat, who unseated Republican incumbent Rep. Rod Blum in Tuesday’s midterm elections, was born in December 1988. Ocasio-Cortez was born in October 1989.