Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez explains why she nominated Bernie Sanders in DNC speech

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez explained why she nominated Senator Bernie Sanders for president during her Democratic National Convention speech Tuesday night. After many viewers appeared to be confused, the progressive lawmaker from New York made it clear it was a procedural move and said she supports Joe Biden for president. 

"If you were confused, no worries!" Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. "Convention rules require roll call & nominations for every candidate that passes the delegate threshold. I was asked to 2nd the nom for Sen. Sanders for roll call."

In another tweet after, she congratulated Biden and wrote "I deeply look forward to fighting for our future together and reclaiming our democracy in November." 

Delegates from all 57 states and territories appeared on video to cast their votes for Biden and Sanders – the only two candidates nominated on the ballot – based on the results of the presidential primaries. Biden clinched the Democratic nomination with 3,558 delegates. He is expected to formally accept it on Thursday. 

Sanders, who received the second most delegates at 1,151, was also nominated by former president of the United Auto Workers Bob King.

During Ocasio-Cortez' DNC speech, she praised the progressive movement Sanders led during his two presidential bids and offered a summation of the role he has played in Democratic presidential politics. She said he created "a movement striving to recognize and repair the wounds of racial injustice, colonization, misogyny, and homophobia — and to propose and rebuild reimagined systems of immigration and foreign policy that turn away from the violence and xenophobia of our past."

Additional reporting by Caroline Linton.

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• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
• Bernie Sanders