Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has condemned a TV advert run during Thursday’s Democratic presidential debate which targeted her by using a burning photograph of her face as it warned about socialism and genocide.

Democratic debate: Biden clashes on healthcare with Warren and Sanders Read more

The advert, played on ABC during a break during the debate in Houston and also once the event ended, describes the progressive Democrat as “the face of socialism” while warning against the economic model.

As the image of Ocasio-Cortez burns, the advert segues to scenes of the Cambodian genocide, including skulls.

The advert was promoting a new Republican-supporting Pac, New Faces GOP, based in California, which describes itself as helping to identify “the next generation” of GOP leaders.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) Know that this wasn’t an ad for young conservatives of color - that was the pretense.



What you just watched was a love letter to the GOP’s white supremacist case. https://t.co/zvp1EB02c5

Elizabeth Heng, of Fresno, California, who lost in a race to be a congresswoman last year, narrates the advert, saying: “Mine is the face of freedom … my skin is not white. I’m not outrageous, or racist, or a socialist. I’m a Republican.”

Ocasio-Cortez hit out at the advert on Twitter, saying: “Republicans are running TV ads setting pictures of me on fire to convince people they aren’t racist. Life is weird!

“Know that this wasn’t an ad for young conservatives of color – that was the pretense. What you just watched was a love letter to the GOP’s white supremacist case.”

Heng responded to Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter.

“Are you really calling me a racist? … I’m calling all Democrats out for supporting an evil ideology. Or are you just in Congress to hang out with celebrities and tweet out ridiculous ideas like the green new deal?”

ABC faced criticism for allowing the advert to run.

Bend the Arc, a national Jewish organization, said: “This is right out of the white nationalist playbook. No news network should be profiting off such hatred.”