New York congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is calling for the abolition of the Electoral College, which she referred to as a “shadow of slavery’s power.”

“It is well past time we eliminate the Electoral College, a shadow of slavery’s power on America today that undermines our nation as a democratic republic,” the 28-year-old tweeted Saturday.


Ocasio-Cortez’s comment came in response to journalist Julia Ioffe tweeting, “We are a country where two presidents who both lost the popular vote have now placed four justices on the Supreme Court. Democracy in action.”

Ioffe was referring to President Trump and former President George W. Bush, who both lost the popular vote in a presidential contest but won the Electoral College vote. Bush won the popular vote when he was re-elected in 2004.

Bush nominated John Roberts and Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Both were confirmed and still serve today.

In his first two years in office, Trump has seen his two Supreme Court nominees, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, also reach the high court.