Critics on social media lambasted a column arguing that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is the best hope for Democrats to win the 2024 presidential election.
The column, entitled “AOC is the Democrats’ best shot against Trump in 2024,” was published by The Hill Tuesday. In the article, author Michael Starr Hopkins, a Democratic PR strategist, argues that Ocasio-Cortez’s social media presence and frequent clashes with Democratic leadership puts her in prime position to beat former President Trump in 2024.
“[AOC] is less of a personality and more of a movement,” Hopkins writes. “She’s an influencer in its purest form. Her ability to relate to her supporters and allow them a glimpse into her private life is a blueprint for Democrats trying to act less like mannequins and more like humans.”
Hopkins goes on to tout the far-left “Squad” member, saying that she “isn’t beholden to corporations, is a prodigious small-dollar fundraiser, and could out-Trump Trump like no other politician has been able to.”
“She’s Barack Obama if Barack Obama was an actual progressive,” he adds.
Hopkins goes on to tout AOC’s upset primary victory over former House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley in 2018. He also touted her actions since taking office. “It would have been easy for her to walk into Congress and hire nothing but communications staff,” writes Hopkins. “It would have been easy for her to sell out and do the cash grab. She could have publicly made Nancy Pelosi and Charles Schumer’s lives a living hell just to show off for her supporters.” Instead, he claims, AOC has established herself by taking corporations and industry leaders to task, and challenging moderates like Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ).
Citing polls showing that the overwhelming majority of Democrats want someone other than President Joe Biden to run for President in 2024, Hopkins claims that AOC “would electrify the party’s base, turn out the youth at record levels and bring the party together by acknowledging the threat posed by electing Trump Republicans.”
Hopkins also says that in the age of social media and sound bites, AOC is uniquely prepared to take on Trump or another challenger like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
“If anyone is prepared to unify the Democratic Party and put the focus back on the working class, it’s AOC,” Hopkins concludes. “Republicans laugh, Democrats fawn, but if voters trust her, we could finally be looking at the first woman president.”
Twitter users, Right and Left, roasted the article.
“Alternative headline: ‘Democrats admit they have no shot in 2024’” Save America PAC Communications Director Taylor Budowich wrote.
“LOL if you really want to motivate GOP voters to turn out then go ahead,” Blaze Media Curation Editor Chris Pandolfo opined.
“Please, Please, Please, Pretty Please, run her,” Law Enforcement Today Senior National Law Enforcement Contributor Rob O’Donnell commented.
“No, a 32 year-old, fairly inexperienced and largely unpopular congresswoman from a deep blue part of the country without a serious legislative track record is not, in fact, the Democratic Party’s best shot against Trump in 2024,” user @RyanJakubowski tweeted.
“AOC would be unlikely to win a jungle primary -> general election in her district, and there’s a reason she’s never going to run for any statewide position. Her being the local rep for a lot of online media types has massively blown her actual relevance out of proportion,” user @SashoTodorov1 added.