When it comes to politics, never underestimate your opponent. And don't lose touch with your voters.

Those are among the lessons of an epic upset in the Democratic race to represent New York’s 14th District in the US House of Representatives.

Joe Crowley, the 10-term incumbent, didn’t seem worried about his first primary challenger in 14 years. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a 28-year-old Latina community organizer and native of the Bronx-Queens district. She raised about $600,000 to her opponent’s $3 million. She happily calls herself a Democratic Socialist, advocating Medicare for all and criticizing her opponent’s close ties to Wall Street. She touts her background as an "educator, an organizer, a working-class New Yorker."

She also shows up.

Her relentless canvassing, underscored in a campaign video that went viral, was one thing. But then there was a debate – to which Mr. Crowley sent a Latina surrogate. The New York Times, likely speaking for many, found that to be an affront to the democratic process.

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez joins a record number of women running for Congress – and the eye-catching number who are winning primaries. It’s all part of a political season that is showing lots of energy. As Axios put it: “A 28-year-old socialist Latina beating a 56-year-old white man is the most 2018 thing to happen this cycle.”

Tomorrow we'll have a report from the neighborhood that put Ocasio-Cortez over the top. But now, we'll turn to our five stories, showing aspiration, compassion, and creative compromise at work.