As Democrats look for new leadership, AOC emerges as Bernie 2.0

Yahoo

02-05-2025

WASHINGTON — For months, Democrats have struggled with an identity crisis. After losing the White House and both chambers of Congress in November, the party has lacked a unified message and has failed to coalesce around a central leader.
Enter Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Ocasio-Cortez has long been considered an up-and-comer in the Democratic Party, especially after she was first elected by defeating 10-term incumbent Joe Crowley for New York's 14th District seat. Since then, she's become one of the most recognizable faces of the progressive movement.
All of that has crescendoed in recent months. As Democratic voters increasingly call for new leadership following the loss of the White House and both chambers of Congress in the 2024 elections, Ocasio-Cortez has raced to fill that void. She's crushing her own fundraising records in an off-election year and she's ahead in early polls weighing 2028 presidential candidates.
'If you look at her favorability among Democrats, she's very popular across the board,' Brad Bannon, a Democratic strategist, told the Deseret News. 'It's not just young people; it's just not progressives.'
On top of all that, she's filling stadiums for rallies nationwide — even in red states.
She and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., launched the Fighting Oligarchy Tour earlier this year to energize the base, finding themselves in filled-to-capacity arenas in states that have trended Republican for decades.
The pair appeared before more than 20,000 Utahns in Salt Lake City earlier this month as they went after President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and other GOP leaders — all in an effort to mobilize voters through a message of resistance.
'This movement isn't about partisan labels or purity tests,' Ocasio-Cortez told the crowd at the Huntsman Center. 'But it is about class solidarity.'
Ocasio-Cortez owes at least some of her rise to Sanders for the launching pad he's provided her.
For years, Sanders has been one of the most prominent progressive voices in the country. He's notched consistently high favorability ratings and was ranked as the most popular senator in the country earlier this year with a 69% approval rating.
Sanders has not been quiet in his criticism of the Democratic Party, arguing lawmakers 'lack a vision for the future' and 'are failing the working class.'
But that criticism apparently does not extend to Ocasio-Cortez, whom the four-term senator has expressed fondness for.
'Now I want to say a word about my daughter,' Sanders said during the Salt Lake City rally, prompting laughter from the crowd.
The pair are closely aligned on several policy issues that have become central to the progressive base. But they aren't as popular among Democrats at large, which could threaten Ocasio-Cortez's reach to more moderate corners of the party.
For example, Ocasio-Cortez has long championed policies such as the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, student debt cancellation, and universal child care — proposals that have raised some eyebrows as being too expensive and politically risky.
Those same policy stances are what caused Sanders' failure to garner more support for his 2016 and 2020 presidential bids as they posed electability concerns. These policy positions could raise similar obstacles for Ocasio-Cortez.
Sanders has endorsed new leadership within Democratic ranks — and his frequent appearances with Ocasio-Cortez may amount to him passing the torch he has wielded for years.
'Bernie's very popular among Democrats, and I think he's transferred some of that popularity to AOC,' Bannon said. 'She embodies the energy on the left. And I think the Democratic progressives are very restless. They want new leadership. They want younger leadership. And she's in a perfect place to inherit that.'
That sentiment is reflected in national polling. Although Democrats lack a central party leader, there are a handful of lawmakers whom voters say best reflect their values — with Ocasio-Cortez leading the pack.
About 10% of Democratic-aligned voters said Ocasio-Cortez best represents the party, the most of any party figure. By comparison, Sanders came in third with 8%.
Still, Ocasio-Cortez could face an uphill battle as she tries to climb the ranks — especially as some of the more traditional party leaders have questioned her viability.
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville warned not to let Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders become the face of the party, arguing Democrats would be better off if they found someone else to represent the base.
'There's truly depth and talent in the Democratic Party and the faster that we can get them on the field and people seeing them, and the sooner we can get people like Bernie Sanders and AOC not defining who the party is, the better off we're going to be,' Carville said on his 'Politics War Room' podcast last week.
Top Democrats expressed similar concerns in years' past, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi — who in 2019 downplayed the significance of the so-called 'Squad,' a group of new progressive lawmakers who joined the House that year.
Pelosi even went so far as to intervene in Ocasio-Cortez's bid to become top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee last year, urging lawmakers to vote for her opponent, Virginia Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly, according to Axios.
As some on the left urge caution about Ocasio-Cortez, she is doing something Donald Trump did before her — instead of trying to gain favor among party leaders, she's going directly to voters to make her case, including in deep-red states like Utah.
'We might all come from different places, but we share a lot of the same experiences,' Ocasio-Cortez said at a rally stop in Las Vegas. 'So to all those who came here today unsure of whether or not this is where you belong, I want to say that you do. You do. No matter who you voted for, no matter if you know all the right words to say. No matter your race, religion, gender, identity or status.'
Those who attended the rally in Utah said the national tour was 'strategically and symbolically significant for several reasons,' specifically citing opposition to the idea that Democratic votes don't matter in a red state.
The rallies are also crucial to reframe political narratives by highlighting issues that blur political lines, such as health care or workers' rights, according to some attendees.
'I think it's obvious that their visits are not about flipping seats. I mean they're touring off of an election year,' Erika Cunningham, 26, who attended the Salt Lake City rally in her hometown, told the Deseret News. 'Their goals are to shift the political landscape over time while also meeting people where they're at across the entire country, not just in 'safe' blue areas. They represent a model of politics rooted in conviction to the greater cause versus convenience.'
Cunningham said Ocasio-Cortez has already positioned herself as a leader of the Democratic Party, noting she is more recognizable as a party figure than actual top members such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
That popularity is partially rooted in Ocasio-Cortez's online presence as she has garnered massive followings on several social media platforms. She has millions of followers on Instagram, X, and Facebook — making her one of the most-followed lawmakers online.
'She's already shaping the party whether or not she is the top ranking official or not,' Cunningham said. 'I think that if Democrats want to stay relevant and have a chance of winning elections in 2026 and/or 2028, they'll need to meet her, and what she represents, halfway.'
Other attendees echoed similar sentiments, arguing Ocasio-Cortez has already cemented herself as the 'new face of leadership.'
'She's not bought off. She's got a heart for the people and their needs,' said Cari Oneal, 58, of Salt Lake City. 'She's already the new face of 'a party' because the Democrats sure haven't shown any signs of being the cavalry we need in this fight for democracy.'
Although Ocasio-Cortez does not yet hold any leadership perch within the party, that could change in the coming weeks.
Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., announced on Monday he would not seek another term due to a cancer diagnosis, and said he would be stepping down from his top seat on the House Oversight Committee. The news has set off a firestorm about who could replace him as the committee ranking member, with Ocasio-Cortez emerging as a top contender.
When Ocasio-Cortez previously ran against Connolly last year, she lost in a 131-84 vote. It was a decisive loss, but her performance was significant against someone who has held leadership positions for years.
It's not yet clear whether Ocasio-Cortez will seek the position again. It would require some procedural maneuvering as she no longer sits on the committee. However, the New York Democrat has remained mum on her plans.
When asked when she would make a decision, she told reporters on Wednesday: 'I'll let you know when I do.'