Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., faced accusations of adopting a fabricated accent during a campaign rally in Memphis, Tennessee, on Friday. Critics online suggested her speech pattern shifted, with some comparing her to former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Ocasio-Cortez was in Memphis to support U.S. House candidate Justin Pearson, a Tennessee State Representative. During her remarks, she emphasized the need to not leave Southern states behind.
"We cannot afford to leave Tennessee behind," Ocasio-Cortez stated. "We cannot afford to leave Kentucky behind, Alabama behind, Mississippi behind, Georgia behind, South Carolina behind. There is no country where we are split apart."
She also referenced a previous trip to Montgomery, Alabama, saying, "About a month or two ago, we were in Montgomery, Alabama — Sister [Rep. Ayanna] Pressley and I were in Montgomery, Alabama, and one of the things that we said was that it is time for the North to roll up to the South."
Social media users reacted to these portions of her speech, with some alleging she used a "fake accent." Actor Michael Rapaport commented on social media, writing, "AOC, from the ‘Bronx’ sounding like a southern Baptist preacher while in Memphis." Conservative communications strategist Steve Guest posted, "Hillary Clinton developed an accent. Kamala Harris developed an accent. AOC is developing an accent. It’s all patronizing."
One user suggested Ocasio-Cortez was "going full Kamala for 2028," referencing a potential presidential bid and past criticisms of Harris.
Kamala Harris has previously been accused of altering her accent depending on her audience. In 2024, she faced criticism for what some described as a fake Southern accent at a rally in Atlanta and later at a Labor Day rally in Detroit. During a 2021 trip to France, critics also claimed she used a "French accent."
