BUFFALO, N.Y. — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is in Buffalo to show her support for mayoral candidate India Walton, arriving in the Queen City Friday night ahead of a planned rally Saturday to launch the early voting period.

Walton and Ocasio-Cortez plan to send 1,000 voters off to the polls.

Ocasio-Cortez says there was a little bit of buzz about Walton downstate before primary night, but when she saw photos of Walton realizing she'd won — remarkably similar to when Ocasio-Cortez had her primary upset — and with shared political ideology and similar paths to prominence, there was an instant connection.

Walton and Ocasio-Cortez also plan to meet with striking nurses at Mercy Hospital and Starbucks employees trying to unionize.

“Buffalo is becoming a leader, in not just New York state, but what I think Buffalo represents, as a post-industrial city, the kind of cities that I believe have been consumed by a lot of cynical, negative politics,” said Ocasio-Cortez. “We can show that we don’t have to give in to that cynicism. We can get to work.”

She believes Buffalo is taking the lead on labor issues and voting for Walton in the primary represent shifting political dynamics.