Ocasio-Cortez Says She Would Probably Not Date a Conservative

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she would "probably not" date a conservative, explaining that shared values are a key factor in her personal relationships. The New York Democrat made the comments in a brief exchange with a reporter on Capitol Hill on September 1, 2026, following her recent breakup from fiancé Riley Roberts. When asked if she would ever date a conservative, Ocasio-Cortez laughed before responding, "I have to say it's, uh, probably not." She clarified that she held "no foul" to people who do date across the political aisle, but emphasized her own priorities. "I think a lot of politics sometimes, at least for me, is about values, and being aligned in values I think is tremendously important," she said. The conversation about her personal life comes as Ocasio-Cortez has recently been in the public eye for other personal decisions. In August, she documented her experience freezing her eggs on social media, a process she said was influenced by concerns about the high cost of childcare and the challenge of balancing public office with starting a family. She noted she had been worried for years about having a child while serving in Congress.