Has American politics moved enough to the point where AOC (or someone like her) can win a presidential election?

[In It to Win It]

Last edited Mon Jun 16, 2025, 09:59 PM - Edit history (1)

I've started to think so recently. American politics has moved in the last 8-9 years by quite a lot. All of those so-called "socialist" and "communists" policy ideas that were under the populism umbrella, the right has taken on some of that populist rhetoric. Populism has become a lot more appealing to more people than it was in the 2016 election. It seems that populism, left or right, has become more acceptable as opposed to the the ideal swing-state winning centrism that we used to look for.

ETA: I don't mean AOC only, but I mean anyone that has the economic populism like she does. Can that economic populism win in today's environment?

[Scrivener7]

1. Kamala Harris couldn't win. AOC wouldn't either.

[In It to Win It]

2. Yeah, but once upon a time, we thought someone like Trump wouldn't win until he did

[Scrivener7]

4. AOC won't win.

[In It to Win It]

6. Despite my OP, my point is really about her policy positions rather than her spefically

Can her policy positions win a presidential election? Can her style of populism win a presidential election?

[RoeVWade]

18. If AOC did gain a popular following, it would be hard not to give her shot.

nt*

[In It to Win It]

21. Agreed, and I don't mean AOC only, but also anyone that has the economic populism like she does

Can that populism win?

It seems to me like the political winds have shifted to the point where it's not as unlikely anymore as it used to be.

[W_HAMILTON]

23. Republicans are cultists and would crawl over broken glass to vote for Hillary Clinton if she ran as a Republican.

On the other hand, there are always *just enough* people on the left that can find the smallest excuse not to vote for the Democratic nominee and thus throw the election to a Republican.

[Blue Full Moon]

5. With the election fraud that Musk and Trump have admitted to

AOC would win. By the way no going back.

[emulatorloo]

3. NYT poll: 47% of voters described Kamala Harris as "too liberal or progressive"

https://www.reddit.com/r/fivethirtyeight/comments/1gm12mh/nyt_poll_47_of_voters_decribed_kamala_harris_as/

[In It to Win It]

7. There is a link to a Gallup poll in one of the comments that says 51% thought Obama was too liberal

and he still won.

[SunImp]

20. Back then Conservatives didn't utilize social media as much

Now they pretty much control the message because of their social media presence & numerous outlets. MSM even helps them by buying into the narrative that leftists/Dems are crazy & infective. They hardly cover anything controversial that's going on in the rightwing sphere. We needed better messaging & social media presence in 2023

[tblue37]

8. Not a chance. I'd gladly vote for her, but the US voters generally would not. Even the Dems in the House wouldn't vote

for her to be the ranking member on the Oversight Committee.

[In It to Win It]

10. How about her economic policy positions coming out of someone else's mouth?

Can her economic policy positions win Democrats a presidential election?

[tblue37]

13. Only if the messaging is more effective than it has been from too many of our Dems. They would need to avoid

bloodless academic abstractions and sophisticated language and speak the language of too many of the country's unsophisticated voters. They would also need to build up our media infrastructure first and learn better how to use the new media. Our side is way behind on its media game.

[In It to Win It]

16. That's the answer I'm looking for.

The political landscape has changed enough that her brand of economic populism can win... and sure, with effective messaging and infrastructure.

We used to consider her's and Bernie's economic policy a death sentence in a general election, and I don't think that's as true as it used to be anymore.

[msongs]

9. women are 0 for 2. is that a trend? nt

[BlueTsunami2018]

11. Not as I see it.

She would get annihilated in a Presidential election. She won’t get the nomination if there are elections because she isn’t qualified for the position. She’s just not. She’s done nothing to merit it.

I like her, she has a bright future but I wouldn’t vote for her in a presidential primary. Not a chance.

[In It to Win It]

14. Ok, not her, but someone like her who is more qualified and more experienced?

The answer I'm really trying to get is, and maybe I botched the question, is that if someone ran a campaign and ran full-throatedly with her economist populism (whether it's AOC or someone else), can it win?

[SSJVegeta]

12. Not can* win. People like her are the only non-extremists who have a shot

[Johonny]

15. Lets see how the mid-terms go

Before trying to guess 2028. But at the moment, eat the rich will be a popular bipartisan message.

[kwolf68]

17. Whoever it is

HAS to go through a legitimate primary season. This is one reason we failed in 2024. I like Harris, I really do, but she needed to go through a primary against other competent Democratic opponents. To win a primary you have to win a cross section of a lot of people in a lot of areas. Just handing it to Harris (and I realize there was no real time for a primary) was really blind faith.

Do NOT get me wrong, I truly think Kamala Harris was awesome and would have been an amazing President, but that's me, that's not everyone. A primary likely exposes her vulnerabilities with certain elements of the electorate (and no, i WILL NOT argue against racism and misogyny playing a part as there is no doubt in my mind it did).

Thing is...we needed to know that. Sad as hell as it is, a primary likely eliminates her. There were other difficult issues with the Harris campaign they didn't effectively navigate. I still don't understand why Biden didn't run in 2016. He'd have been perfect at that time. Biden, when he was on his game, was as good as it gets as a debater and a campaigner. An absolute stud. Which made his demise all the more heart breaking.

[In It to Win It]

19. Agreed 100%

There was nothing but bad options on the table.

Joe Biden staying in the race was a bad option
Handing it to Kamala Harris with no serious opposition was a bad option, but it was the most practical option at the time
Having a primary with 100 days left to the election (if it was even possible), I think, would have been the most chaotic option

[mvd]

22. I think we're closer

Many progressive economic positions poll well and will likely do even better after Trump’s disaster. There would be a lot of blowback from big donors - including on our side. A challenge for sure, but it can at least be thought about.

[Silent Type]

24. If she, or they, win primaries they definitely have a chance. Not sure how much chance at this point.

[Hekate]

25. 'Fraid not

[RandySF]

26. No, but it moved to a point where Trump can.

We are in deep trouble.

[SCantiGOP]

27. Yes

[SheltieLover]

28. No. To win, one must appeal to a broad swath of voters.

Jmo.

[-misanthroptimist]

29. If Democrats move to the 'far' left...

...they will win in a landslide.

[PufPuf23]

30. Money and media would destroy AOC or anyone similar in policy,

male or female regardless of race or religion.

[LudwigPastorius]

31. She's currently more popular than anyone else in the Democratic party (except Barack & Michelle Obama).

But, at a net 2 points positive, that's not saying much.

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/aoc-trump-harris-popular-poll-b2761593.html

Anyway, a lot can happen in 3 & 1/2 years. The next presidential election is so far out, it's kind of silly to be talking about it, other than to say: let's just hope it is held and we're all alive to see it.

[JT45242]

32. Policy wise maybe...but not her and likely no woman

AOC has been the Boogeyman to Fox News since Hillary went away.

24-7 vilification in right wing news.

I hate to say it, but I don't think that any woman could be elected president.

Too much sexism, even among blacks and Hispanics.

[JI7]

33. It's not impossible but I think we need something like 2008 for a woman to win

2008 which was an election after 2 terms of Republicans in the white house and an economic downturn.

Hillary would have won in 2008 if she was the nominee.

But social media has changed some things also. Look at how people think California is a war zone .