Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., left, speaks as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., responds to calls of support during a stop of their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour that filled Civic Center Park, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) If I were running for president in 2028, I would take Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) very, very seriously. A recent poll shows her leading the field on the left for the nomination. But her supporters shouldn’t make their reservations for the inaugural just yet.
For months now, Ocasio-Cortez has joined Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, whose main objective is “to have real discussions across America on how we move forward to take on the oligarchs and corporate interests who have so much power and influence in this country.” One can only assume they mean those connected with President Trump and the Republican Party. But as Sanders knows better than anyone, they first must get past the “oligarchs” and “corporate interests” of the Democratic Party.
You might remember that the Democratic leadership was found to be putting its fat thumb on the scale for months to crown Hillary Clinton as the 2016 nominee — at the direct expense of the Sanders campaign. The scandal rose to such proportions that DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz had to resign the position because of the outrage directed at her and the DNC by millions of Sanders supporters.
Speaking of which, the same entrenched leadership of the Democratic establishment went on to sideline Sanders again in 2020. Then they did it to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in 2024.
Some in the Democratic Party fear that the same entrenched leadership will try and knock Ocasio-Cortez out of the primary contest, should she choose to run. But that’s not going to happen. If anything, AOC and her growing powerbase might be able to run the Democratic elites out of town.
Why? Well, a recent headline from ABC News offers up one potential reason: “Democratic socialists think fatigue with mainstream politics could open paths to victories in the midterms.”
To be sure, most Republicans, conservatives and people of faith I speak with believe Ocasio-Cortez is carrying the baton at the head of the parade of Democratic socialists. Almost all see that as a huge political advantage for their side. But is it?
A Fox News poll conducted earlier this year revealed a giant red flashing warning sign for Republicans. The poll found that 38 percent of voters believe it would be good for the U.S. to move toward socialism and away from capitalism. That same poll found that nearly half said capitalism was working “not very well” or “not at all well.” As has been demonstrated multiple times over the last number of decades around the world, and even within our nation, “free stuff for me” can be a very powerful vote getter.
How much Ocasio-Cortez chooses to ride on the socialist and communist bandwagon going forward remains to be seen. That said, I would strongly caution the Republican Party not to underestimate her.
Although some of her recent interviews have demonstrated she is not quite ready for primetime, I assure you, she is a quick learner. And there is a legitimate case that, like Trump in 2016, she has that populist “It Factor” that helps to convince voters she is one of them.
If Ocasio-Cortez chooses to run for president in 2028, the Democratic leadership has zero chance of rolling her like they did Bernie. And if she makes it through that baptism by fire, she will be a very formidable Democratic nominee.
Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official.
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