The Democrat base has been in a state of perpetual rage since Donald Trump came onto the national scene during his first run for president. It’s only gotten worse since he was elected to serve a second term, with Democrats now turning on each other over the party’s failure to stop him in 2024 and various factions trying to establish themselves as its next Resistance™ leader.
After Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) caved to Republicans on the Continuing Resolution in order to avoid a Schumer Shutdown, Democrat tensions boiled over, and talk of a 2028 primary challenge to Schumer began, with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) being one of the more prominent names mentioned as a potential primary opponent.
Though AOC has been asked about it in interviews, she has remained cagey, instead focusing on her tour with fellow Democrat Socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and trying to emphasize ways she believes Democrats in Congress should be pushing back now.
Whatever the case may be, Democrat-aligned special interest groups aren’t wasting any time testing the waters, with one left-wing polling firm releasing a new poll that shows AOC ahead of Schumer by double digits in a potential primary match-up:
The survey by the liberal firm Data for Progress, first shared with POLITICO, found that 55 percent of Democratic likely voters said they supported or leaned toward supporting Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, while 36 percent backed or leaned toward backing Sen. Schumer. Nine percent were undecided.The poll is the latest sign that Schumer’s standing among the Democratic base has taken a hit since he voted to advance a GOP funding bill last month that avoided a government shutdown. The fact that Data for Progress conducted and released the poll also underscores that liberal organizations are continuing to look for ways to prod Schumer to take a tougher stance against President Donald Trump.
The poll follows one from two weeks ago from CNN that showed AOC at the top of the list of Democrat politicos who the party faithful believe “best reflects the core values” of Democrats. Only “No one” got more votes:
Democrats, who overwhelmingly consider Trump too extreme, have yet to consolidate around any one-party leader to serve as a counterpoint. Asked in an open-ended question to name the Democratic leader they feel “best reflects the core values” of the party, 10% of Democratic-aligned adults name New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 9% former vice president Kamala Harris, 8% Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and 6% House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Another 4% each name former president Barack Obama and Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett, with Schumer joining a handful of others at 2%.
More than 30% didn’t offer a name in response. “No one,” one respondent answered. “That’s the problem.”
Needless to say, the woke left is stoked:
While it’s still early on in the process, and though Schumer has decades more experience than AOC, I wouldn’t count her out.
An AOC challenge would be one he should take seriously. After all, she made it to Congress by defeating a deeply entrenched Democrat leader (then-House Democrat Caucus Chair Joseph Crowley) back in 2018, and if the money, mood, and sentiment of a majority of New York voters are still against Schumer in 2028, she may have a decent shot of defying the odds once again.
Besides, who wouldn’t want to see an AOC/Schumer dance contest? Warning — not for the squeamish:
Choose your fighter, New Yorkers.
-Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via Twitter/X.-
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