Fox News host Julie Banderas mocked Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s dating standards on Tuesday’s Jesse Watters Primetime, saying “no conservative would want to date you” after the congresswoman told TMZ she likely wouldn’t date a conservative due to differing values.
Banderas, a co-host for Fox Noticias, made the comment while discussing Ocasio-Cortez’s response to a question from TMZ reporter Charlie Cotton about whether she would ever date a conservative. “I have to say it’s probably not,” Ocasio-Cortez replied, explaining that alignment in values is “tremendously important” to her politically.
After playing the clip, Banderas said, “Girl, no conservative would want to date you. You are not untapping a mystery here. I mean, first of all, she broke up, she froze her eggs, she’s eventually going to put them in and maybe some brave soul will stand up and be the father of those poor little children.” She added, “Why would a conservative ever want to marry her?”
Watters noted that Ocasio-Cortez recently ended her engagement with longtime fiancé Riley Roberts. According to reports, the couple split roughly two years ago, though the breakup became public only in August 2026. Watters introduced the segment by saying, “AOC’s back on the market. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but she dumped her fiancé. But she’s got standards for her next prince charming.”
Ocasio-Cortez announced her decision to freeze her eggs in early August 2026, framing it as a way to feel more in control of her life while she considers her political future. She said the decision was important to “normalize” egg freezing in “a political environment where this administration is denying reproductive care” to women. The 36-year-old congresswoman documented the fertility treatment process in public posts, describing it as empowering and part of broader conversations about reproductive rights.
Ocasio-Cortez has previously accused Watters of sexually harassing her on air. Earlier this year, after a Fox News producer approached her to appear on Jesse Watters Primetime, she declined and told the producer that Watters had “sexualized” her and made inappropriate comments. She referenced a remark Watters made on The Five in October 2025, when he suggested that Ocasio-Cortez wanted to sleep with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller after she had mocked his short stature. Ocasio-Cortez responded at the time by writing on X, “You can either be a pervert or ask me to be on your little show. Not both.”
Sources
- TV Insider — Julie Banderas’s full comments on AOC’s dating standards, the context of AOC’s TMZ interview, and Ocasio-Cortez’s previous accusations of sexual harassment against Watters.
- Mediaite — Banderas’s quote and the segment details from Jesse Watters Primetime.
- TMZ — Confirmation of AOC’s breakup with Riley Roberts in August 2026.
- PBS NewsHour — AOC’s announcement about freezing her eggs and her stated reasons for the decision.
- The New York Times — Confirmation of AOC’s split from Riley Roberts.
