Votes were still being tallied early on Wednesday, and Caban’s rival Melinda Katz – seen as the main establishment candidate – had not conceded, the New York Post and other media reported.

But Caban, a former public defender of Puerto Rican descent, told her supporters: “We did it, y’all,” in footage of a rally posted online just after midnight.

A victory by the 31-year-old would mark a fresh signal of the growing power of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party as it pushes a populist platform across the country in the run up to the 2020 presidential election.

It also would highlight the political appeal that Ocasio-Cortez, known by her initials, AOC, has cultivated since she upset a long-time incumbent Democrat in a primary race a year ago.