Washington Examiner, May 2025
Republicans could be making a mistake in downplaying Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY) effectiveness as one of the Democratic Party’s top political leaders. Several polls and the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour across the country have cemented the congresswoman’s status as a dominant force in Democratic politics in recent months.
While the GOP has acknowledged Ocasio-Cortez’s prominence, it has often suggested she poses little threat to the MAGA movement’s momentum. Republicans have perceived her as a naive socialist pushing utopian ideas rather than a woman who could fuel the Democratic Party’s comeback. But political experts said holding to that narrative and underestimating her capabilities could prove fatal for Republicans.