Former Rep. Joe Crowley Joseph (Joe) CrowleyHillicon Valley: Election officials prepare for new Russian interference battle | 'Markeyverse' of online fans helps take down a Kennedy | GOP senators unveil bill to update tech liability protections 'Markeyverse' of online fans helps take down a Kennedy The Hill's Campaign Report: Trump visits Kenosha | Primary day in Massachusetts | GOP eyes Minnesota as a battleground MORE (D-N.Y.), who lost his seat last year to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-CortezThe Memo: Dems face balancing act on SCOTUS fight Ocasio-Cortez hits back at Marjorie Taylor Greene over 'dumb blonde' joke on Twitter Ocasio-Cortez to voters: Tell McConnell 'he is playing with fire' with Ginsburg's seat MORE (D-N.Y.) said Friday that he "didn't underestimate" the progressive firebrand in the lead up to their June primary.

“I didn’t underestimate her,” Crowley said on MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber.”

“There were a lot of factors that went into the race … but I wish her well and I want her to do well," he continued. "I want her to do well on behalf of my constituents and for the country as well.”

"I didn't underestimate her"



"I wish her well and I want her to do well on behalf of my constituents and for the country as well" - @JoeCrowleyforNY on @AOC winning his seat: pic.twitter.com/kVVLxBSdCe — TheBeat w/Ari Melber (@TheBeatWithAri) February 8, 2019

Crowley, a former House Democratic Caucus chairman, was one of the most high-profile incumbents to lose his seat in last year's primaries.

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“I think part of it is because she beat me. I take some solace in that … that I was important enough for people actually took note of somebody beating me,” Crowley said when asked why he thought his defeat garnered such widespread attention.

Ocasio-Cortez made waves last year with her progressive platforms and explosive Twitter presence that helped propel her to become the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.

Crowley suggested on Friday that Democrats may need to home in on centrist policies aimed at winning over moderate voters in order to expand their presence on the electoral map.

“I think it’s also important to remember that how Democrats won the House of Representatives was by appealing to moderate districts where Republicans held those districts,” he said Friday.