Michelle Caruso-Cabrera is a former longtime CNBC anchor who just announced she will challenge Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for her New York House seat.
After leaving CNBC full time in September 2018, Caruso-Cabrera became a contributor for the news outlet. A CNBC spokesperson said she will take a leave of absence from her contributor role as she focuses on her campaign. The former anchor also serves as a member of the board of directors for financial services firm Beneficient.
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This is so great!! Ex-CNBC anchor Michelle Caruso-Cabrera to take on AOC in primary https://t.co/N1lEGjvxya
— Maria Bartiromo (@MariaBartiromo) February 11, 2020
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Caruso-Cabrera More Moderate than Ocasio-Cortez
Caruso-Cabrera’s filing late Monday show that she will run in New York’s 14th District Democratic primary. More moderate than self-described socialist Ocasio-Cortez, Caruso-Cabrera has a reputation for being more skeptical of government and has supported free markets. Though she’s been a registered Democrat for years, in 2010 she published a book with what some might consider a more conservative or libertarian sounding title, “You Know I’m Right: More Prosperity, Less Government.”
Caruso-Cabrera released a statement explaining her decision to seek NY 14. “I am the daughter and granddaughter of working class Italian and Cuban immigrants,” the statement read. “I am so lucky to have had such a wonderful career and I want everybody to have the opportunity that I’ve had.”
“That’s why I’m running,” she added.
I'm running for NY-14, to fight for the people of Queens & the Bronx, daughter of Cuban immigrants and living the American Dream ?? https://t.co/DY5eLoCKgL
— Michelle Caruso-Cabrera (@MCaruso_Cabrera) February 11, 2020
She Was a Longtime CNBC Contributor
Caruso-Cabrera spent more than two decades CNBC as the co-anchor of “Power Lunch” and also as the news outlet’s chief international correspondent.
Ocasio-Cortez’s profile has been elevated immensely since her election and she is considered one of the more influential voices on the left today. Nicknamed “AOC” the congresswoman has made national headlines for her support for policies like “Medicare for All” and the “Green New Deal,” which is supposed to target climate change but reads like socialist wish list.
Ocasio-Cortez also received plenty of attention when she endorsed democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. President Donald Trump has even gone after Ocasio-Cortez in tweets and speeches.
JUST IN: Former longtime CNBC correspondent and anchor @MCaruso_Cabrera filed late Monday to run for Congress in New York's 14th District – the seat currently held by Democratic freshman firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. (@AOC) https://t.co/VisuNph76X
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) February 11, 2020
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Will AOC Be Ousted After Only Two Years?
AOC shocked many mainstream Democrats when she defeated veteran Rep. Joe Crowley in his 2018 House primary. Ocasio-Cortez then defeated her Republican opponent, Anthony Pappas, with a whopping 78 percent vote in the Democrat-leaning district.
Michelle Caruso-Cabrera joins about a dozen other candidates who have already filed to run for AOC’s seat. The primary will be held June 23.