Republican Immigrant From Jamaica To Challenge Ocasio-Cortez In 2020

A Republican immigrant businesswoman active in politics launched a campaign Wednesday to run against current Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in 2020.

Scherie Murray, an immigrant from Jamaica, is the fifth Republican to file for Ocasio-Cortez’s seat. The other Republicans are former police officer John Cummings, construction contractor Miguel Hernandez, medical journalist Ruth Papzian and entrepreneur Antoine Tucker.

“There is a crisis in Queens, and it’s called AOC,” Murray said according to Fox News. “And instead of focusing on us, she’s focusing on being famous. Mainly rolling back progress and authoring the job-killing Green New Deal and killing the Amazon New York deal.”

Murray, 38, confirmed with Fox News that she will be running. The primary will take place in June 2020.

The Jamaica-born immigrant moved to the U.S. when she was 9 years old. She grew up in Southeast Queens and worked at Bus Depot when she was a teenager, according to Fox News. Murray founded  The Esemel Group, a television production and advertising company, in 2004. The company helped with employment for minorities, she said according to Fox News.

Now a full-time mother, Murray’s campaign video paints her as a “bridge-builder” who has helped minorities find jobs and who cares about the people. The video takes jabs at Ocasio-Cortez‘s spats throughout her time in office as well as painting the current Rep. as more of a celebrity than someone who can make laws.

“I think it’s disgusting, to be quite honest,” Murray said of the recent comments Ocasio-Cortez made about President Donald Trump after he tweeted about the congresswoman. “I think we are missing the point of why we’re elected to public office: to legislate on policy, to deliver results to those kitchen table issues that are affecting everyday Americans.”

Trump began tweeting Sunday telling the “‘Progressive’ Democrat Congresswomen” to go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it’s done.”

The tweets were likely aimed at Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna S. Pressley of Massachusetts.

No Democrat has announced a campaign against Ocasio-Cortez. New York, a mostly Democratic district, will be a battle for Republicans like Murray, Fox News reported.

“A Republican can win the district,” Murray told Fox News. “There is an absolute path to victory when you look at a general election campaign.”