AOC's constituents weigh in on presidential run, recall her stunning 2018 political upset
Constituents in Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's New York district are warning Republicans not to underestimate the firebrand progressive lawmaker who caused a sensational political upset in 2018 – as rumors swirl about the four-term congresswoman running for president in 2028.
Ocasio-Cortez hosted a town hall in New York City on Friday in the same neighborhood where she unseated longtime Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley to become the nation's youngest congresswoman.
Against all odds and with little money, her spectacular win sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party as she effectively ended the political career of Crowley, who at that point was a 10-term incumbent and eyeing being the next House speaker.
Some political observers say Crowley took Ocasio-Cortez for granted, while her constituents believe attaining the nation's highest office is not beyond her grasp. Fast-forward to 2025 and Ocasio-Cortez has become one of the biggest voices in a party yearning for political leadership.
The huge turnouts for her "Fight Oligarchy" tour events alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has fueled speculation she has enough momentum to launch a presidential bid, while she has also raked in $9.6 million in the first three months of the year, beating her own record fundraising haul.
Mark LaVergne, who's an independent and was outside Ocasio-Cortez's town hall but did not attend, told Fox News Digital that he believes she has a winning personality.
"Don't underestimate her. I mean, that was the mistake Joe Crowley and his people made seven years ago," LaVergne said. "They underestimated her. That was a fatal mistake."
Andrew Sokolof Diaz said Ocasio-Cortez's popularity appears to be growing and said it would be an honor to vote for her.
"Absolutely, we stand with her. I think she absolutely has the support, not only here in her district, but she has the support nationally, maybe even internationally, to run for president." Sokolof Diaz said.
Aleks Itskovich, who traveled from Brooklyn and moved to the U.S. from Russia when he was three years old, said he was inspired by the "Fight Oligarchy" tour and said it proves she connects with the ordinary person.
"It goes back to the authenticity," Itskovich said. "I think that she's able to come across as a genuine individual that is able to channel people's concerns directly and feel relatable, honest, that she's not coming from the 1%. She's one of the most successful politicians of this generation, so I want to keep seeing how that goes."
However, not all were keen on the potential move, with Woodside resident Mary Madden saying she felt Ocasio-Cortez is too young, while John Szewczuk, who has lived in Jackson Heights for 44 years, said she may be too left wing to win the presidency outright, but he would still back her.
About 450 people packed into a local school auditorium to hear Ocasio-Cortez talk about a host of issues ranging from local concerns about a major casino to national issues like Medicaid and the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts. Long lines outside the location caused the event to be delayed for nearly 20 minutes while those who couldn't get in were shuffled into an overflow room across the hall.
Inside, attendees gave Ocasio-Cortez a rousingly warm reception and appeared fully supportive of her legislative agenda and her representation of the district to date. Many questions from the audience centered around local issues, calls for a minimum wage hike, how to improve air quality, as well as asking her how she plans on tackling the Trump administration.
The loudest applause came when Ocasio-Cortez voiced her opposition to a proposed new casino in Queens, which would be part of new sports and entertainment park. The $8 billion project is being spearheaded by New York Mets' billionaire owner Steve Cohen and has gotten approval from the New York City Council. The congresswoman admitted, however, she doesn't have a say in the matter since it's a state issue and not in her district.
Applause also rang out when Ocasio-Cortez dared border czar Tom Homan to arrest her after he previously threatened to refer her to the Justice Department for giving advice to migrants on how to avoid being deported.
The town hall went off without a hitch except for an early disruption by a protester who heckled at Ocasio-Cortez about the war in Israel. She was then removed.
The town hall took place in a leafy section of Jackson Heights, known for its strong progressive leanings. A major avenue adjacent to the school was recently transformed into an "open street," where traffic was substantially reduced to create more public space for pedestrians, cyclists and community use.
"I love it, it's a great neighborhood, it is very diverse, probably one of the most diverse in the world," Szewczuk said.
Conversely, the school is about three blocks away from the Roosevelt Avenue commercial strip, which has become notorious for its open-air sex workers, trash-filled streets, crime, drugs and anti-social behavior.
Roosevelt Avenue runs along the southern border of Ocasio-Cortez's 14th District, and the strip is shared by Rep. Grace Meng. Fox News Digital observed at least 30 prostitutes soliciting sex along one block of Roosevelt Avenue about an hour after the town hall finished.
Some sidewalks along the squalid strip are hard to navigate given the sheer number of people – many of whom are migrants – selling hot food, fruit and vegetables, counterfeit goods and what appeared to be stolen goods.
Ocasio-Cortez never mentioned the strip, nor did any attendee ask about it in the question and answers section. While all questions were submitted in advance and Ocasio-Cortez left out a side door the moment the event ended, it appeared it was way down in the list of priorities for those in attendance.
Sokolof Diaz and Szewczuk said it's on local politicians to do more, while LaVergne said that Ocasio-Cortez has failed the neighborhood in that respect. LaVergne said he was also still angry that she helped stop Amazon opening a massive headquarters in Queens a few years ago.
"I feel very sad. Sometimes you walk by, there's a Dunkin' Donuts I frequent on Roosevelt and 82nd St., and I noticed that above that, there is some sort of thing going on. And I see the look in the eyes of these sex workers," LaVergne said.
"I really feel sorry for them. Some of them are here probably under difficult situations. Maybe they were forced here, maybe they're forced to do this kind of work. You've got to take care of the people that'll get you elected. I mean, that just seems like the most just thing. That's justice. Taking care of the people who got you elected."
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