Bronx Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez addressed huge crowds over the weekend, joining Sen. Bernie Sanders in a series of rallies denouncing President Donald Trump and his agenda. 

Her campaign-style swing, where the progressive star told rally attendees that Democrats need a party that “fights harder for us,” grabbed the spotlight at a time the party is hungry for a winning message and new leadership.

The western tour

Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders barnstormed five cities over three days, with stops in Arizona, Colorado and Nevada. 

The rallies, some of which generated crowds estimated in the tens of thousands, were part of what they dubbed the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour. 

What You Need To Know

  • Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined Sen. Bernie Sanders for a series of rallies in the western United States last week, some drawing tens of thousands of people 

  • The rallies put the 35-year-old congresswoman on the national stage at a time the Democratic Party is searching for more effective messengers and messaging to counter President Donald Trump

  • Initially cast as a progressive outsider when she arrived in Congress in 2019, Ocasio-Cortez has become a team player, building alliances within the Democratic coalition
  • A New York Republican strategist says Ocasio-Cortez has become the “de facto” leader of the Democratic Party in the past two weeks and will likely be utilized as a “boogeyman” by the GOP, much like former Speaker Nancy Pelosi once was

“We as a community must choose and vote for Democrats and elected officials who know how to stand for the working class,” Ocasio-Cortez said at a stop in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The rallies put the 35-year-old congresswoman on the national stage at a time the Democratic Party is searching for more effective messengers and messaging to counter President Donald Trump.

A poll conducted earlier this month recorded the Democratic Party’s favorability among Americans at a record low. 

Several rally-goers told Spectrum News they want to see top Democrats follow Ocasio-Cortez’s and Sanders’ lead, and push back more forcefully against the president. 

“I do not think the Democrats are taking this serious enough,” Katie Armstrong of Boulder, Colorado, said. “I'm scared, and I'm not alone.”

“It's boxing with one hand tied behind your back, if not two,” Tucson resident Will Clipman said of Democrats’ predicament. “I don't fault the people who are trying, but we could all try harder.”

The rallies also put an exclamation point on a dramatic month for Ocasio-Cortez. 

Two weeks ago, she delivered some of the sharpest criticism of her fellow New Yorker, Sen. Chuck Schumer, after he voted to advance a Republican spending bill rather than challenge the president and trigger a government shutdown.

Her outspoken opposition to the bill and Schumer’s vote reportedly prompted some Democrats to encourage her to primary the senate minority leader. His current term ends in 2029.

Outsider to team player

It has been more than six years since Ocasio-Cortez shocked the political world by defeating a longtime establishment Democrat, Rep. Joseph Crowley, in the 2018 primary. 

Initially cast as a progressive outsider, she has become a team player, building alliances within the Democratic coalition and working within the systems on Capitol Hill.

For example, in December, when she mounted an unsuccessful bid to be the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, she had the endorsement of Rep. Pat Ryan, a moderate who represents a competitive district in the Hudson Valley. He praised her as someone who could aggressively counter Trump.

Now, with Trump back in office and the party hunting for a messenger, some argue it is smart for Ocasio-Cortez to elevate her voice at this time. 

“She’s a very thoughtful speaker,” Albany Congressman Paul Tonko told Spectrum News. “She connects well, does great storytelling. Really relates things to people individually.”

This past week, Ocasio-Cortez leaned into that storytelling on the stump, invoking her working class background. 

“I don't believe in healthcare, labor and human dignity because I'm a Marxist. I believe it because I was a waitress,” she told a rally crowd. 

The politics for Republicans

Ocasio-Cortez’s higher profile creates a potential risk for Democrats. She is a favorite target of Republican attack ads, which use her to paint the Democratic Party as too far left. 

William O’Reilly, a New York Republican strategist, says Ocasio-Cortez has become the “de facto” leader of the Democratic Party in the past two weeks and will likely be utilized as a “boogeyman” by the GOP, much like former Speaker Nancy Pelosi once was.

For example, over the weekend, Rep. Mike Lawler, a Republican in a competitive seat in the lower Hudson Valley, accused a declared Democratic candidate for the seat of believing in "every crazy idea ... AOC and the far left promote."

However, O'Reilly warns this approach potentially has limits. 

“It won't be as easy,” he said. “She's younger than Pelosi. She's got a lot of energy and spirit and I think she has a base of people behind her that's growing quickly.”

Asked about Ocasio-Cortez’s role, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said she is “already a prominent member of the Democratic caucus, and I suspect that will continue.”