Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) said that despite their vast political differences, he and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) are “friends.”
Burchett joined Wednesday’s Laura Coates Live on CNN, shortly after President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill to reopen the government, which shut down on Oct. 1. Democrats had demanded that Republicans agree to extend healthcare premium subsidies for Obamacare recipients in exchange for the votes needed to advance the GOP’s spending bill. Republicans, however, did not relent and ultimately, eight Democrats voted to advance the bill without extending the subsidies, which expire and Dec. 31. Most of the 24 million Americans on Obamacare will see their premium costs double, on average.
Many Democrats have criticized Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) inability to rein in the eight defectors. Others have suggested he even approved of the defections behind the scenes.
Burchett, like other Republicans, blamed the shutdown on Schumer ahead of a possible challenge in the 2026 U.S. Senate Democratic primary in 2028.
“He’s worried about AOC,” the lawmaker said. “And AOC, I think, will take him on, I think. I talked to her tonight and, you know, she’ll announce tomorrow– if she announced tomorrow, she’d raise $10 million over the weekend. They’d be throwing money at her as fast as– there’d be record amounts. People are sick of Chuck Schumer and sick of him–”
Coates interjected, “When you talked to her tonight, you talked about running? What did she say?”
Burchett responded:
She smiled and said, “Thank you, Burchett.” I mean, you know, she’s my friendly neighborhood Marxist. I realize she’s as about as far left as I am right. But, you know, she actually believes that garbage. And that’s why I can actually– I she and I are friends. I don’t agree with her on anything. You know, when she has death threats, I pray for her safety. And I’ve defended her against a physical altercation once before. And so, you know, look, I’m from Tennessee. We respect and we are crazy about ladies, and I and I love them in leadership. I just don’t agree with her politically.
“Well clearly, you just called her ‘friendly neighborhood Marxist,’” Coates replied. “I can see your point as to why you don’t agree.”
Watch above via CNN.
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