It seems that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the far-left Democratic Congresswoman from New York, and Paul Gosar, the Conservative Republican Congressman from Arizona, put their past differences aside during Tuesday’s House speakership vote.
The two have had a contentious history, with Gosar facing censure and stripped committee assignments after tweeting a video depicting violence against Ocasio-Cortez and President Biden. Ocasio-Cortez called Gosar a “white supremacist” in response.
Despite their past animosity, the two were seen chatting amiably in the House chamber during a break in the vote, leading many to speculate about the nature of their conversation.
According to ABC News congressional reporter Gabe Ferris, the two were discussing GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy’s speakership bid. Ocasio-Cortez reportedly told Ferris that McCarthy had made claims within the GOP that some Democrats would walk away from the vote to lower the threshold for victory.
Gosar was reportedly asking Ocasio-Cortez for clarification on whether Democrats would indeed walk away. Ocasio-Cortez told Ferris, “We would never do that.”
The Intercept’s Eric Michael Garcia also reported on the conversation, stating that Ocasio-Cortez told him that Gosar never apologized for the cartoon video he posted. She added that “I think that the common thread here is that neither of us wants to see Kevin McCarthy be Speaker of the House.”
It’s worth noting that Ocasio-Cortez was also seen chatting with Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz earlier in the day. Some have speculated that the Congresswoman was trying to gauge the intentions of her conservative colleagues.
However, it’s just as likely that the two were simply trying to find common ground and work towards a more productive and civil government.
In the end, McCarthy’s bid for House Speaker fell short in both the second and third votes, resulting in another round of voting. It remains to be seen whether Ocasio-Cortez and Gosar will continue to find ways to work together and set aside their differences in the future.