Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared momentarily taken aback when a TMZ reporter asked her outside the US Capitol whether she would ever date a conservative, coming shortly after reports that she had split from her fiancé, Riley Roberts. She laughed before replying "probably not," but went on to clarify that she did not judge others who set politics aside for love, saying that for her, shared values matter greatly in a relationship.

The exchange, with TMZ's Charlie Cotton, touched off a wider discussion about cross-party romance in an increasingly polarised political climate. The article also cites Democratic strategist James Carville, who is married to Republican consultant Mary Matalin, reflecting on dating across the political divide in a past interview and urging young progressives like Ocasio-Cortez to be more pragmatic, arguing that a less rigid approach helps win elections and get things done. Ocasio-Cortez's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.