As the 2020 presidential election draws ever nearer, the stakes are growing significantly higher for the candidates of both major parties—and quickly. In the case of the Democrats, the top four candidates (Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg) are all closely ranked in New Hampshire and Iowa, and it’s no secret that Iowa is a particularly important state when it comes to forecasting election season. This week, the Des Moines Register poll showed Sanders with a mild lead in this Midwest state, a stat that bodes well for him in the coming months—well, at least, it might. At this point in the game, it’s really impossible to guess what’s to come, especially in the midst of the chaos surrounding our military conflict with Iran and the impeachment of President Trump.

In addition to a millennial-friendly position on a wide range of issues—from healthcare reform to student loan forgiveness—many folks are speculating about Senator Sanders’ success resulting from his endorsement by none other than AOC herself.

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Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Sanders back in October, and ever since, she’s stood alongside him in several early-voting states, drawing major crowds in Nevada, California, New York, and, of course, Iowa. Sanders’ approach to policy may already pique the interest of the millennial generation, but AOC is, herself, a millennial—she speaks to this age group from her own perspective as a progressive young person, appealing to her peers with firsthand knowledge of what matters to them most. She’s impassioned, savvy, likeable. And she’s not just exciting the millennial demographic—she’s appealing to all kinds of Democrats.

“Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a leader in the progressive movement,” said Jeff Weaver, longtime adviser to Sanders. “She is broadly popular, frankly, among Democratic voters. She is particularly strong with young voters, voters of color. She’s an important national voice and adding her weight to the political revolution is a real coup for us.”

It’s definitely clear that AOC and Sanders are making waves across the country, establishing powerful connections with legions of unlikely and diverse Democratic constituencies. And as they continue to generate energy and excitement, people are starting to wonder: Will AOC ultimately inherit the progressive movement headed by Sanders? Will she occupy the White House one day?

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Again, no one can answer these questions right now. But in the meantime, the political duo is leaving a powerful imprint on enthusiastic delegates, paving the way for what might end up being a highly productive race for the Democratic socialists. With that said, it’s important to remember that Joe Biden is currently favored in Nevada and South Carolina, placing him and Sanders in a sort of limbo, hovering at a similar point  in the race. But if one of them ends up gaining early momentum, either candidate could potentially emerge as a singular favorite by the time Super Tuesday arrives in March.

Waleed Shahid, a former aide to both Sanders and AOC, acknowledged the pair’s recent visit through California, saying that Sanders would benefit from further establishing himself within the Super Tuesday state—a move that would allow him to expand his already strong position among Latino voters. (In surveys of Latino Democrats, Sanders typically polls first or second.) And AOC is, without a doubt, boosting his ratings among this demographic: to make sure their message is being heard, she’s been delivering campaign speeches entirely in Spanish to Latino crowds.

Even if there’s no way to predict AOC’s future role in the Democratic party, there have been hints as to what might come to pass if Sanders is chosen as the Democratic candidate for this year’s election.

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In an election endorsement interview with The New York Times Editorial Board, Sanders said that it was “a little bit premature” to name a running mate, as the first nominating contest is still weeks away. But he continued by saing, “I think Joe [Biden] has had eight years as vice president: probably enough.” He added, “I believe in diversity. I believe and know that my administration and my cabinet will look like America looks like. I’m not going to tell you who it’s going to be.”

While Sanders may be trying to keep his plans on the down low (he isn’t wrong, after all—it is a bit early to start naming potential running mates), it’s clear that he and AOC have a similar vision and a sincere, collaborative chemistry. Plus, he did tell ABC in November that she would “play a very, very important role — no question” if he becomes president. He has even taken to occasionally citing remarks by AOC during his speeches, reiterating that they share a parallel perspective for the future of our country. At this point, all we can do is speculate about a Sanders/AOC ticket. Ya veremos!

Instagram is without a doubt, the social media platform we have the most complicated relationship with. Although the photo-sharing platform was created with the intention of connecting people who want to share special moments from their lives, it has recently devolved into the social media that experts are calling most detrimental to our mental health.

The problem with Instagram lies in the images Instagram users present to the world: staged, curated, and–more increasingly–edited beyond recognition. After all, it’s not like the phrase “do it for the ‘Gram” came out of nowhere. People want to present the best versions of themselves to their followers because they know that that’s what racks up the most likes. The problem with many Instagram users’ “best versions” of themselves, however, is that those versions aren’t based in reality. We compiled a list of the worst Instagram fails of 2019 to show to our readers that what you see isn’t always what you get. Check it out below!

1. This person who edited their face, but not their reflection

Ahh, the old “I face-tuned my face within an inch of its life but forgot to edit its reflection” problem. Many a brave solider has fallen victim to this mistake. Many more will follow.

2. When even famous celebs are a victim of Instagram fails

Cardi B’s photoshopping fail proves that even celebrities are insecure about their bodies and feel the need to alter their appearance in pictures. Even someone as beautiful and successful as Cardi B gives in to the pressure to be “perfect” for the public. 

3. When one person edits their face, to the detriment of others

Look, we all know that pretty much no one looks hot on Christmas morning. We’re always rushed to get out of bed and probably sleep-deprived. It’s unfortunate that a situation least conducive for great photos is the time of year we’re most often in front of the camera. And while most of us resist the urge to face-tune ourselves in the family photo, some people (like the girl on the far left) can’t post a pic without tampering with it. Unfortunately, the end result is jarring and super noticeable.

4. This girl photoshopped a Lamborghini logo on her car’s steering wheel

We give this girl credit for thinking of new and creative ways to flex on Instagram. Pro tip: if you really want people thinking you own a luxury car, go to a fancy car dealership and ask to test drive the newest model. Then, you can take a selfie in the driver’s seat and no one will ever be any wiser (#sarcasm).

5. This guy photo-shopped weights onto his bar, but forgot to add them to the reflection

Here’s another Instagram fail where the reflection tells the real story. This is the type of photoshop fail that totally baffles us. Why lie about how much you can lift? It’s pretty easy to tell how strong someone is by looking at their body! 

6. This guy “travels” the world by photo-shopping himself into different locations

If you’re going to photoshop yourself as a world traveler, at least change up your pose once in a while. 

7. This guy also “travels” the world, but the fence behind him oddly stays the same…

This guy doesn’t even try to photoshop himself into new locations. Instead, he just changes his location tags and trusts that his followers will believe that he’s jet-setting around the globe. But it doesn’t take a genius to see that he’s sitting in the same location in both “Israel” and “Belarus”. 

8. This guy went a little over-board on the teeth-whitening tool

This picture is a prime example of Instagram influencers taking something that looks great in moderation and ramping up the intensity until it’s no longer attractive. Also on that list? Full lips, curvaceous bodies, and smooth skin. 

9. This cloud pattern seems to oddly follow this Influencer all over the world

This picture is an example of how much Instagram has warped the minds of its users. While editing your photos used to be about removing a pimple or fixing red eye, now people feel the need to add perfect, fluffy clouds in their skies to keep up the illusion of a flawless life. 

10. This “artist” shows photos of different paintings, but the palette in her hand never changes

Where do we even start with this Instagram fails? To begin with, it seems highly unlikely that a real painter would wear such nice clothes when dealing with paints that could potentially ruin their fabric.

READ: The Instagram Trends That Drove Us Nuts In 2019