Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez holds aspirations beyond the House of Representatives.
But a brutal reality check knocked Ocasio-Cortez for a loop.
And all hell broke loose when Democrats begged AOC to make one major move.
Swing Seat Democrats Beg AOC to Stay Away
Ocasio-Cortez is contemplating a Presidential campaign in 2028.
But early indicators are that it is a doomed effort, as her socialist brand holds no appeal outside of deep blue districts.
Presidential contenders build chits, name recognition, and fundraising connections by campaigning for down-ballot candidates in midterm elections.
No Democrat running for office in a swing seat wants to be seen within 1,000 yards of Ocasio-Cortez.
“The polling is atrocious for her,” a top Democratic strategist relayed to Axios. “She’s a lightning rod.”
Democrats are even willing to go on the record saying they don’t want Ocasio-Cortez campaigning with them.
“I don’t intend to be having a lot of folks from out of state campaigning with me over these next 40 days,” Montana Congressional Sam Forstag candidate told Axios when asked if he wanted Ocasio-Cortez to come back to Montana and stump for him.
Even allies like Abdul El-Sayed distanced himself from Ocasio-Cortez.
“But since winning the Democratic nomination, El-Sayed has spent almost nothing on ads featuring AOC. And she hasn’t campaigned with El-Sayed as he’s come under a barrage of attacks from Republican Mike Rogers, who’s accused him of being too left-wing for Michigan,” Axios reported.
Democrats Welcome Other 2028 Contenders
Democrats treating Ocasio-Cortez like she has the plague stands in stark contrast to how other 2028 hopefuls are being received by battleground Democrats.
“In contrast, several of AOC’s potential 2028 rivals for president — such as former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel — have been welcomed by Democratic candidates in competitive districts and states during the past month,” Axios reported.
Notably, El-Sayed invited Kamala Harris, not Ocasio-Cortez, to campaign with him.
Axios also reported that “even former Vice President Kamala Harris — whose help has been resisted by some battleground candidates — has been welcomed by others.”
The cool reception Ocasio-Cortez received from swing-state Democrats could help explain why she ramped up her political activities in upstate New York, a sign many took that she is leaning toward running for Senate, not President, in 2028.
“She’s barnstorming through upstate New York, meeting with local officials, and kicking off a voter turnout program that could help her collect valuable data for a possible Senate campaign.
In Buffalo, she met privately with Mayor Sean Ryan, then held an impromptu press conference with him, generating coverage of the duo on local TV news.
She and her team later kicked off a voter-turnout operation that could help them gather information about the electorate outside New York City,” Axios also reported.
Great American Digest will keep you up to date on any new developments in this ongoing story and other breaking news in politics. Please bookmark our site, make it your homepage, and share our content with your friends on social media and by email.
