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Democrat politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was recently involved in an online feud with former swimmer Riley Gaines. Gaines recently reacted to a campaign organized by Ocasio-Cortez for Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party candidate for the Mayor of New York City.Gaines expressed her thoughts on Ocasio-Cortez campaigning for Mamdani alongside Bernie Sanders. The swimmer-turned-social activist wrote on her X account [formerly Twitter],"We're being destroyed from within" Ocasio-Cortez responded by writing on her X account, "Maybe if you channeled all this anger into swimming faster you wouldn’t have come in fifth."Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's comment referred to Riley Gaines' performance in the women's 200-yard freestyle race at the 2022 NCAA Championships, where she was placed joint fifth with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. Gaines represented the Kentucky Wildcats as a collegiate swimmer.However, Ocasio-Cortez's comments didn't go down well, and she was called out for her alleged double standards by multiple Twitter users. One user went on to comment,"@AOC Never seen a professional swimmer get drowned by a member of Congress."JohnathonTrick @JohnathonTrickLINK@AOC Never seen a professional swimmer get drowned by a member of congress.Riley Gaines represented the University of Kentucky as a collegiate swimmer from 2019 to 2022. The 25-year-old swimmer-turned-social activist had won a silver medal in the women's 4x200 yards freestyle relay at the 2021 NCAA Championships. Gaines also won two consecutive gold medals at the SEC Championships in 2021 and 2022. Riley Gaines responds to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's comments on her career Riley Gaines replies to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's comments [Image Source : Getty] Riley Gaines responded to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's comments on her career by calling out her alleged double standards. The swimmer-turned- social activist wrote in the comments section of Ocasio-Cortez's X post, Riley Gaines @Riley_Gaines_LINKIt's *always* "we support women's rights!" until it's a woman who wants the right to compete & undress free from less than mediocre men. Keep your mentally ill men out of our sports, locker rooms, prisons. etc.When Ocasio-Cortez attempted to hit back by suggesting Gaines to 'get a real job', the swimmer-turned-social activist responded by commenting, "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."Riley Gaines @Riley_Gaines_LINK"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."Interestingly, isn't the first time that Riley Gaines has been involved in a major controversy with a prominent politician or celebrity. In June 2025, Olympic champion gymnast Simone Biles had called out Gaines for her comments on a trans athlete's inclusion in a Minnesota girls' high school softball team.Biles also suggested that Gaines to 'bully someone your own size', for which she received backlash all over social media. Simone Biles later apologized to Gaines for her comments, alongside temporarily deactivating her X profile. Gaines responded by hoping that one day Biles would understand her motive and stand by her side.
