Riley Gaines and Ocasio-Cortez trade barbs as conservatives defend the former swimmer in ongoing dispute
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Riley Gaines and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., have been firing back at each other across different forms of media, hurling digs at one another after the conservative commentator posted a photo of AOC with Zohran Mamdani and Bernie Sanders with the caption, “We’re being destroyed from within.”
In the latest exchange, AOC took another hit at Gaines, telling the new 25-year-old mother to “get a real job” after her latest appearance on “The Ingraham Angle” challenging the New York lawmaker to a debate.
The University of Kentucky alum replied on X, “I have a real job. I’m a mom. It’s the most important & rewarding job in the world. I think if you had a baby girl like I do, you’d understand my positions a little better.”
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Allie Beth Stuckey, another conservative influencer, defended Gaines’ reply.
Stuckey posted on X replying to a tweet by AOC from 2020 where she wrote, “Sex work is work.”
“Being a mom & women’s advocate isn’t a ‘real job,’ but prostitution is,” the Dallas-born social media star wrote. “Girls having access to private spaces and fair competitions isn’t women’s rights, but murdering babies is. Noted.”
Ocasio-Cortez also jabbed Gaines on X, writing, “Maybe if you channeled all this anger into swimming faster, you wouldn’t have come in fifth.”
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AOC insinuates being a mother is not ‘a real job’ after Riley Gaines challenged her to a debate.
Social media users weighed in on the latest exchange.
Amy Reichert, a local politician in San Diego, wrote on X, “Imagine hating another woman for defending women, then mocking her for not beating a man. That’s the left’s feminism in 2025.”
Gary Francione, professor emeritus at Rutgers University, also chimed in to AOC, saying on X, “How regressive of you to regurgitate the old sexist nonsense that women just have to try harder so that they can compete with men—even when it’s a women’s sport. I have been a Dem all my adult life and what you woke elites have done to the party is a travesty.”
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Riley Gaines challenges AOC to debate socialism, capitalism, God, abortion and more. (Photo by Ivan Apfel/Getty Images)
One commenter on X under the name “@DesireeAmerica4″ wrote,” Who else thinks Riley Gaines would absolutely smoke AOC in a live debate?”
“I’ll debate her anytime,” the Tennessee-born collegiate swimmer said. “She can defend socialism — I’ll defend capitalism. She can defend removing God — I’ll defend a biblical worldview. She can defend child sacrifice — I’ll defend the sanctity of life.”
Ocasio-Cortez has not yet responded to Gaines’ debate challenge.
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