Note: we are republishing this story which originally made the news in September 2024. When a car battery died near the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 11, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stepped in to help—jumpstarting the vehicle of Evan Hollander, an aide to Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.). Her chief of staff, Mike Casca, shared a photo of AOC under the hood, joking,

“When your car battery expires on the Capitol plaza, instead of calling AAA you just need @AOC.” The post quickly went viral. Supporters praised her hands-on effort, calling her faster than AAA.

Critics, however, mocked Hollander’s helplessness and accused the scene of being staged for publicity. Some pointed out that two Capitol Police officers stood by watching as AOC did the work.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez looks under the hood of a stranded motorist’s car; Photo Credit: mike casca/X

Regardless of motive, the moment became yet another viral headline for Ocasio-Cortez—fueling both admiration and skepticism across social media.