AOC is certainly acting like she’s the leader of the Democrat party.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is declaring that a new generation of progressive voters and candidates is gaining political influence, setting up another ideological battle with President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.
The New York Democrat made her case Sunday during an appearance on ABC News’ “This Week,” where she praised progressive candidates who have challenged the Democratic establishment and rejected support from traditional political power brokers.
Ocasio-Cortez argued that these candidates are succeeding because they are willing to operate independently.
“I think when I see so many of these incredible insurgent candidates that are running today — that’s part of what makes me so proud of them — is that they do not answer to any master,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
She added that the candidates are “not beholden to any corporate interest or any party boss.”
According to Ocasio-Cortez, that independence allows progressive politicians to focus more directly on the communities that elected them.
The congresswoman also credited grassroots political organizing with helping the movement gain influence.
“I think that in many ways that makes our movement stronger when you have to rely on your own organizing skills,” she said.
Progressive Democrats Gain Momentum
Ocasio-Cortez has increasingly used her national profile to support candidates associated with the Democratic Party’s progressive wing.
She recently backed several democratic socialist candidates who won primary contests in New York City.
Ocasio-Cortez also endorsed Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed in July. El-Sayed went on to secure a narrow victory in Michigan’s Democratic primary earlier this week.
The results could strengthen the influence of progressives as Democrats debate what direction the party should take in future elections.
The candidates supported by Ocasio-Cortez have championed policies that differ sharply from the agenda promoted by Trump and congressional Republicans.
Among those positions are support for Medicare for All and opposition to accepting certain political action committee money.
Some progressive candidates have also sharply criticized the Iran war and U.S. military financing for Israel.
The growing influence of these candidates could give American voters a clearer choice between two dramatically different visions for the country’s future.
AOC Says Younger Voters Are Taking Control
Ocasio-Cortez believes demographics could be one of the progressive movement’s greatest advantages.
During her ABC News interview with host Jonathan Karl, she argued that Democrats need to recognize the growing political influence of younger generations.
“Democrats have responsibility to build a winning coalition,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
She argued that young Americans increasingly participate in political conversations through different forms of media and that Democratic leaders need to respond to those voters.
Ocasio-Cortez then pointed to what she described as a “generational tidal wave” that she believes political analysts have underestimated.
Millennials, she noted, are no longer the young voters they were portrayed as during previous election cycles.
Ocasio-Cortez said millennials should no longer be viewed as rebellious youngsters, noting that many are now adults raising families, paying mortgages and handling the responsibilities that come with middle age.
That distinction could become increasingly important in national elections.
Millennials are now dealing with many of the same kitchen-table concerns that have traditionally driven older Americans to the polls, including housing costs, family expenses, wages, taxes and the overall economy.
Ocasio-Cortez said there is growing anger among younger Americans who believe previous generations left them with difficult economic and political challenges.
She pointed specifically to concerns involving the economy and climate policy before delivering a clear message about the political ambitions of her generation.
“We’re taking the reins,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Trump and Republicans Face a Different Democratic Party
Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks highlight a larger struggle over the future of the Democratic Party.
Progressive activists increasingly want Democrats to embrace policies that once existed largely outside the party’s mainstream, while more moderate Democrats have argued that winning competitive elections requires appealing to independents and centrist voters.
Republicans, meanwhile, have repeatedly sought to make Democratic socialism and progressive economic policies central issues in campaigns across the country.
That makes the success of Ocasio-Cortez-backed candidates potentially significant for both parties.
Progressives can point to primary victories as evidence that their movement is expanding.
Republicans can point to the same victories and ask whether American voters are comfortable with the Democratic Party moving further to the left on government spending, health care, foreign policy and other major issues.
For Trump and the GOP, the political challenge will be convincing voters that Republican policies offer a better answer to the financial pressures affecting American households.
Issues including inflation, energy costs, taxes, immigration, public safety and government spending could therefore remain at the center of the political debate.
A Major Test Is Coming
Ocasio-Cortez is betting that generational change will ultimately reshape American politics.
Her argument is straightforward: Millennials are older, younger voters are becoming more politically active, and progressive candidates have demonstrated that grassroots campaigns can defeat better-established opponents.
But winning Democratic primaries and winning competitive general elections are two different challenges.
The bigger test will come when progressive candidates must persuade independents, moderates and voters who remain skeptical of democratic socialist policies.
For Americans who have watched the Democratic Party change considerably over the past decade, the latest comments from Ocasio-Cortez offer another indication of where influential progressives want to take the party.
And her declaration that her generation is now “taking the reins” could become especially important as Democrats prepare for their next showdown with Trump and Republicans.
The question voters will ultimately answer is whether Ocasio-Cortez’s progressive movement represents America’s political future — or whether its policies will strengthen the Republican case for keeping the country on a different course.