Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Wednesday blamed Vice President Kamala Harris’ election loss on alleged sexist attitudes among voters, among other factors.

Ocasio-Cortez argued that blaming the defeat solely on Harris would overlook broader, systemic issues within the party and the country. Ocasio-Cortez said that Harris faced unprecedented challenges after she was tasked with constructing a presidential campaign within a short timeframe.

“I think it’s important to also state here that Kamala Harris was given an assignment that no other person in American history was given: To construct a presidential campaign in 90 to 100 days with absolutely no expectation or end to that assignment and have to deliver the country from an enormous fascist threat that had already been campaigning and priming the pump for essentially eight years,” Ocasio-Cortez said during an Instagram live.

Ocasio-Cortez said that the obstacles Harris faced were not just political but deeply rooted in misogyny.

“Misogyny is very, very real in this country. As another widely known woman of color in office, you know, I knew that sexism and racism were real, but it was not until I got subjected to a national stage that I actually was shocked at how bad it is,” she added. “You know, you grow up with it, but there is something about being on the receiving line or just nationally exposed to millions of eyeballs at once that you feel that fire hose and you actually understand how deeply ingrained it is.”

The congresswoman said that these systemic biases influence electoral outcomes more than is often acknowledged. If Harris had been a man, the election results might have differed.

“If Kamala Harris was Tom Harris, we may have a different result today. I don’t know. And so it is impossible to try to engage again in a sectarianism of explanation. These are all factors that I think is important for us to keep in mind at once,” she continued.

Former Democratic Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill also defended Harris and broke down in tears on MSNBC, saying Harris’s election loss was due to unique challenges she faced. She detailed how Kamala Harris’s path had been fraught with difficulties

Democratic strategist James Carville said Harris made crucial errors as she campaigned against former President (and now President-elect) Donald Trump. On his show “James Carville Explains,” he cited the late withdrawal of President Joe Biden from the race and Harris’ inability to set herself apart, along with a perceived lack of order, as the main reasons for her unsuccessful presidential campaign.

(Featured Image Media Credit: Screenshot/House Oversight Committee hearing)