The Latest: Rising liberal star cheered on West Coast swing

FILE - In this June 27, 2018, file photo, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a winner of a Democratic Congressional primary in New York speaks to a reporter. Ocasio-Cortez, a rising liberal star who toppled 10-term Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley in a primary, is scheduled to speak at a fundraiser in downtown Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer,File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's visit to Los Angeles (all times local):

2:30 p.m.

New York congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez urged a cheering crowd in Los Angeles to work together for universal health care and free college, and not to be deterred by those who say they can't be achieved.

She says "what is right is what will win."

The rising liberal star who bucked the Democratic Party establishment in New York's 14th Congressional district is on a West Coast fundraising swing.

The 28-year-old startled the Democratic establishment when she defeated 10-term U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley in a New York City primary.

In her speech Thursday, she criticized what she called a broken economy in which luxury apartments stand vacant while homeless people crowd the streets.

She earlier visited LA's notorious Skid Row neighborhood that is crowded with the homeless, calling it unacceptable.

Her appearance attracted a capacity crowd to a 500-seat downtown theater. Tickets were priced at $27 each, with $10 entry for students.

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12:10 p.m.

New York congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — a rising liberal star who is challenging the Democratic Party establishment — was scheduled to appear Thursday in Los Angeles as part of West Coast fundraising swing.

The 28-year-old startled the party when she defeated 10-term U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley in a New York City Democratic primary.

The surprise victory by the political novice and community organizer in a district that includes parts of the Bronx and Queens came after a low-budget campaign that she built around liberal and social causes, not the traditional Democratic Party machine. Crowley had been expected to win easily.