Kansas rallies with Bernie Sanders are show of strength as party seeks winning coalition in usually Republican states

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Ocasio-Cortez providing boost to progressives

After her stunning primary win over Joe Crowley in New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been using her newfound national platform to boost other progressive candidates across the country.

'Just what the party needs': Ocasio Cortez and Sanders woo Kansas progressives Read more

On Friday night, Ocasio-Cortez appeared with Bernie Sanders in Kansas to support Brent Welder and James Thompson; on Saturday she will campaign with Cori Bush, who is running against the nine-term congressman William Clay in Missouri.

Pennsylvania Jobs (@Pennsylvania_HR) Yes, She Is in Kansas: Ocasio-Cortez Makes Her National Campaign Debut - New York Times: New York Times Yes, She Is in Kansas: Ocasio-Cortez Makes Her National Campaign Debut New York Times From right, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Bernie Sanders and… https://t.co/yr3NGIiBeE pic.twitter.com/sdQaDrAmyK

Ocasio-Cortez’s star power went beyond personal appearances, Bush told the Guardian. A few days before the New York primary, Bush had taken $8 in donations over a 24-hour period. The day after Ocasio-Cortez won, and mentioned Bush in a tweet, she received $8,000.

“When Alex won, that changed everything,” Bush said. “First of all, it gave us a new boost and it helped to revitalize us, and then immediately that national attention came to the race.”

Occupy Ice under fire

Occupy Ice activists attract rival counter-protesters armed with guns Read more

Camps of activists opposed to Trump’s immigration policies have continued to grow across the US, with 11 different cities now having Occupy Ice hubs. The camps are becoming more organized as people involved in different states begin to communicate with each other.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest An Occupy Ice activist in Portland. Photograph: John Rudoff/Sipa USA/REX/Shutterstock

But at least one camp is facing dangerous counter-protests. Occupy Ice Louisville, in Kentucky, has been the subject of armed protests by American Action Force III% over the past two weekends, and the anti-immigration group told the Guardian it planned to subject the Occupy Ice to the same treatment indefinitely.

Jesus Ibanez, one of the activists involved in Occupy Ice Louisville, told the Guardian: “Just seeing those weapons that they have, it was intimidating.” American Action Force brought about 50 people to the Occupy camp on 14 July, but more than a hundred people came out to support the encampment.

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