Far-left New York “Squad” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has revealed a number of the stunning responses she received from individuals who voted for President-elect Donald Trump and herself or different down-ballot Dems.
The Bronx and Queens Democrat, who was simply re-elected Tuesday, quizzed her 8 million Instagram followers in hopes of studying extra about Dem Vice President Kamala Harris’ landslide loss to the Republican former president, which surprised pollsters and Democratic Social gathering bosses alike.
“It’s actually easy… trump and you take care of the working class,” mentioned one respondent, reflecting the huge shift towards the Republican Social gathering amongst non-college-educated voters since 2016.
One other individual wrote, “[W]anted change so I went with Trump and blue for the remainder of the poll to place some breaks.”
A 3rd respondent described the trade-off between a split-ticket vote and party-line Democratic vote.
“Motion & Progress >> Stagnation & Excuses,” the individual wrote. “Each of you push boundaries and drive progress.”
One other author mentioned, “Voted Trump, however I such as you & Bernie. I don’t belief both social gathering institution politicians.”
A senior Democratic aide on Capitol Hill, requested by The Publish in regards to the outcomes of AOC’s casual survey, mentioned, “If both social gathering desires a sweep, they’ve to determine the right way to harvest authenticity.
“That’s who wins. Trump is genuine. Harris was grown in a lab. Folks can inform,” the supply mentioned.
Socialist Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was one of many first progressive pols to supply the Democratic Social gathering a autopsy.
“It ought to come as no nice shock {that a} Democratic Social gathering which has deserted working-class individuals would discover that the working class has deserted them,” mentioned Sanders, who caucuses with the Democrats.
AOC’s 14th District swung to President-elect Trump by one of many highest margins amongst Massive Apple voters.
In 2020, practically 4 out of 5 voters (77%) voted for Joe Biden, and 22% solid ballots for Trump. However in 2024, simply 65% voted for Harris, and 33% voted for Trump, in accordance with metropolis voting data reported by the Each day Kos present.
In 2018, Ocasio-Cortez, now a detailed ally of Sanders, mentioned she had gained election whereas Trump was in workplace by sticking to “a laser-focused message of financial, social and racial dignity for working-class People.”
Each the congresswoman and the senator nonetheless endorsed and stumped for Harris in 2024.
Democratic sources spilled to The Publish the day after the 2024 election that Harris’ platform had closely relied on its elite pool of donors, shifting its messaging within the remaining weeks to pillory Trump, 78, as a “fascist” risk to American democracy.
That completely ignored voters’ issues about inflation, unchecked immigration and different working-class issues.
Harris, 60, additionally flip-flopped or didn’t make clear the place she stood on a lot of her previous progressive stances reminiscent of banning fracking for oil and pure fuel, decriminalizing unlawful border crossings and the approving of sex-change operations for incarcerated migrants.
A post-election survey by the Democratic agency Blueprint exhibits that the highest three causes the vice chairman misplaced to Trump have been rising inflation, too many migrants coming into the nation and the Democratic nominee’s hyperfixation on “cultural points like transgender points somewhat than serving to the center class.”
“She was extra for rights then [sic] the financial system & when she talked ab it she didn’t have a plan,” an Instagram respondent instructed AOC.
The senior Democratic congressional aide instructed The Publish that the messaging misses made it simple for Trump to beat Harris.
“The Democratic Social gathering wrote the symphony of Donald Trump — they even carried out it,” the supply mentioned. “All he needed to do was take a bow.”
Different misses by the Harris marketing campaign included her pandering an excessive amount of to suburban ladies whereas not sufficient to blacks, Hispanics and Asians — in addition to Era Z voters, polling knowledge confirms.
As with many in her social gathering, Ocasio-Cortez, 35, had been defiant within the face of Trump’s electoral- and popular-vote win, which was fueled by the biggest multiracial coalition a Republican presidential candidate has clinched in many years.
“That is going to be a really, very, very, difficult tough time … for thousands and thousands of individuals on this nation,” AOC posted in a fearful Instagram publish from her spotless kitchen after the election. “That is going to be a really scary time.”
“I’m not right here to sugarcoat what we’re about to expertise,” she added. “It’s an infinite setback as a result of the fascist gained a number of working class assist, which has occurred in historical past.”
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), nevertheless, was prepared to jettison all the failed Dem rhetoric, saying his social gathering’s tent had grown “too small.”
“A agency break with neoliberalism. Hearken to poor and rural individuals, males in disaster. Don’t determine for them. Choose fights. Embrace populism. Construct an enormous tent. Be much less judgmental,” Murphy posted Sunday on X. “We’re past small fixes.”
Nonetheless, a few of AOC’s supporters appeared to reject Harris as a result of she had not leaned far sufficient left — particularly on Israel’s struggle within the Gaza Strip.
“I do know people who did [split their vote between Trump and the Dems] and it was bc of Gaza,” somebody replied to AOC on Instagram.
One other individual wrote, “Voted for trump and also you, not genocide Harris. Dems want bernie!!”
A 3rd respondent mentioned, “[V]oted for Trump in Arizona however voted for dem Ruben as a substitute of Kari lake,” referring to Arizona Democratic Senate candidate Ruben Gallego and GOP foe Kari Lake, whose race was nonetheless not referred to as as of Monday morning, though Gallego was reported forward.
“He’s good dealing with struggle,” the individual added, apparently referring to Trump.
A fourth individual echoed the reasoning that impartial presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gave when he deserted his run and endorsed Trump.
“He speaks of struggle as one thing that’s unhealthy,” the respondent mentioned of the forty fifth and soon-to-be forty seventh president. “Democrats turned the social gathering that helps struggle.”
Reps for AOC’s congressional workplace and marketing campaign didn’t instantly reply to a Publish request for remark.