Democrats are desperately searching for new leaders. AOC is stepping into the void.
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is stepping into the Democrats’ leadership void, picking up her powerful megaphone to channel the base’s anger — toward both President Donald Trump and her own party.
Some of the initial skepticism in the party around the progressive star when she first arrived in Washington six years ago has started to fade as she has established herself as a political player on Capitol Hill and demonstrated a unique knack for communicating with a younger generation.
AsDemocratsscrambletofindanauthenticandeffectivemessengerforthesecondTrumpadministration,thereisagrowingdesiretoelevateOcasio-Cortez,35,withinthepartyinsomeway,accordingtointerviewswithadozenDemocraticlawmakers,aidesandstrategists—especiallyafterlastweek’sgovernmentspendingshowdownleftthebaseenraged.
Ocasio-CortezwasoneofthemostoutspokenDemocratsintorchingSenateMinorityLeaderChuckSchumer,D-N.Y.,forallowingaRepublicanfundingbilltoadvanceintheSenatetoavoidashutdown.Rep.RoKhanna,D-Calif,pu
