Article snippet: Rep. MORE (I-Vt.) on Saturday as the Democratic presidential hopeful made his return to the campaign trail following a heart attack earlier this month. Ocasio-Cortez, a rising progressive star with a huge social media following, cited Sanders as an inspiration for her own decision to get into politics and tied her progressive goals to the 78-year-old Vermont senator. “It wasn’t until I heard of a man by the name of Bernie Sanders that I began to question and assert and recognize my inherent value as a human being that deserves health care, housing, education and a living wage,” Ocasio-Cortez said during a rally with Sanders in the New York City borough of Queens. She also credited him with giving her hope for her 2018 congressional campaign in which she unseated longtime Rep. MORE (D-N.Y.). “I’m proud to say the only reason I had any hope in launching a long-shot campaign for Congress is because Bernie Sanders proved you can run a grassroots campaign and win in an America where we almost thought it was impossible,” she said. The appearance by Ocasio-Cortez could give Sanders a jolt of momentum in the Democratic race, where he has been batting for votes against another progressive — Sen MORE (D-Mass.). Sanders said in a tweet that the rally was attended by more than 25,000 people. Media reports including NBC News and Politico had put the crowd at around 20,000. Warren has sought to chip away at Sanders's progressive support in recent months, touting simila... Link to the full article to read more