The video was shared across Twitter on Wednesday. It showed Ocasio-Cortez dancing on the roof of a building at BU as part of an internet trend at the time in which people would recreate scenes from popular 1980s movies.
"Here is America's favorite commie know-it-all acting like the clueless nitwit she is," read a widely circulated tweet from user AnonymousQ1776, who described the clip as a video from her high school days.
Numerous Twitter users came to Ocasio-Cortez's defense, with some drawing comparisons to arguments that then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh should not be judged for past behavior while Ocasio-Cortez should. Some also said the video made her more relatable.
The freshman representative responded to critics Friday by releasing another dancing video.
I hear the GOP thinks women dancing are scandalous.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 4, 2019
Wait till they find out Congresswomen dance too! ππ½
Have a great weekend everyone :) pic.twitter.com/9y6ALOw4F6
"I hear the GOP thinks women dancing are scandalous. Wait till they find out Congresswomen dance too! Have a great weekend everyone," she tweeted, with a video of her dancing outside her new office on Capitol Hill.
In just hours, the tweet became Ocasio-Cortez's most retweeted tweet ever and garnered millions of views.
The day after the original video resurfaced, Ocasio-Cortez was sworn in as the youngest woman in Congress. A woman has also created a parody account that tweets out videos of Ocasio-Cortez dancing to dozens of other popular songs.
Ocasio-Cortez has used social media throughout her campaign and since being elected to craft her brand of politics and communicate with constituents like never before: She's been known to talk policy while cooking with her Instant Pot.
.@Ocasio2018 is talking about the problem with cash bail while cutting chipotle chilis and making dinner. ππ½ππ½ππ½ππ½ππ½ππ½ππ½
— Renee Bracey Sherman (@RBraceySherman) November 19, 2018
This is how you talk politics at the dinner table. I wish more politicians were real like this. pic.twitter.com/vlxoKAAKse
She's also wielded the power of the Twitter quill to hit back against critics.
When a Washington Examiner reporter posted a photo critical of her clothing and referring to her as a "girl," widespread outrage plus Ocasio-Cortez's response caused him to delete the tweet.
If I walked into Congress wearing a sack, they would laugh & take a picture of my backside.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 15, 2018
If I walk in with my best sale-rack clothes, they laugh & take a picture of my backside.
Dark hates light - thatβs why you tune it out.
Shine bright & keep it pushing.β¨ https://t.co/mRq5wn0v9A
"Dark hates light - that's why you tune it out," she posted in response to that tweet about her clothes. "Shine bright + keep it pushing."
A similar fate befell the person who originally tweeted out the dancing video: It appears that @AnonymousQ1776 has deleted their account.
CNN contributed to this report.