Key Points – A new AtlasIntel poll released Monday, June 2nd, indicates Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) holds a higher positive impression (46%) among respondents than President Donald Trump (44%), making her the most popular active Democrat among those surveyed.
-While former President Barack Obama (53%) and Michelle Obama (49%) polled higher, AOC surpassed other active figures like Vice President J.D. Vance and former Vice President Kamala Harris (both 42%).
-This finding fuels speculation about AOC’s potential 2028 presidential ambitions as a successor to the Sanders wing, though she would likely face significant opposition from establishment Democrats.
AOC vs. Trump: And AOC Wins?
Do the Democrats have someone in their party who is more popular than Donald Trump? And is that person Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)?
That’s indeed the case, according to a new poll released on Monday.
The poll is from AtlasIntel, and it found that 44 percent of respondents have a positive impression of President Trump, while 55 percent have a negative one.
One question in the poll, however, asked about the positive/negative impression of several other political figures. And it found that the Congresswoman known as AOC is approved by 46 percent of respondents.
That’s the highest number of any of the active politicians who came up in the survey. Former President Barack Obama has a 53 percent positive rating, while former First Lady Michelle Obama is at 49 percent.
Popular/Unpopular
As for other politicians mentioned in the survey, none besides the Obamas and AOC is in positive territory. Trump is 44 percent positive, J.D. Vance and Kamala Harris are each 42 percent, while Joe Biden is at just 32 percent positive.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is at 30 percent positive, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is at 27 percent, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune is at just 14 percent positive, although the more damning number for Thune may be that a majority of those asked, 56 percent, say “don’t know.” That should say a lot about how visible the top Senate Republican has been so far this year, and how much of an impression he has made in the early Trump era.
What Does This Mean for 2028?
The AtlasIntel survey does not ask about these people’s suitability as presidential candidates. However, those positivity/negativity numbers do say some things about how to view the Democratic field going into the next presidential election.
Barack Obama is not eligible to be president again, while Michelle Obama has long been adamant that she is not interested in ever running for public office. Joe Biden, needless to say, is not going to run for president again, while Kamala Harris is unlikely to serve as the Democrats’ standard-bearer again either, although she may decide to make another run.
That leaves AOC as the most popular active Democrat, at least of those mentioned in the survey. Those are also some particularly ugly numbers for Gavin Newsom, who is widely assumed to want to run for president in 2028.
AOC for President?
The Hill asked last month whether Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez should be seen as a viable presidential candidate. It noted that election forecaster Nate Silver has called her the favorite in the 2028 race. AOC has spent the early Trump era on a “Fighting Oligarchy” tour with Sen. Bernie Sanders, which has drawn massive crowds in different parts of the country, including red-voting areas.
If she runs, AOC would serve as the successor for the Sanders wing of the party, while counting on her charisma and political skills to win in a way that Sanders never did. She would also represent an anti-establishment voice at a time when the Democrats seem to be craving just that. And for that reason, Ocasio-Cortez’s candidacy would likely be fought tooth and nail by the mainstream power brokers in the party.
“Establishment Democrats fear that her ideological zeal would end the party’s aspirations to take back the White House. She may not be the frontrunner, but there should be no doubt that she would be a threat to win the nomination,” The Hill said.
Per a Wall Street Journal piece last month, AOC is not ruling out any moves, including one for the White House in 2028.
“Ocasio-Cortez hasn’t made a decision on her future but isn’t ruling anything out, including primarying the Senate minority leader or even a presidential bid, according to a person familiar with her thinking,” the Journal said.
About the Author: Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
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