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Impossible. It’s never happened before. Are you kidding? That’s how most political commentators – virtually across the spectrum – describe the likelihood of New York congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez becoming the next President of the United States. Even many that support her worry that she’s still too young, relatively experienced – and after all still “just” a congresswoman at this point. Shouldn’t she run for the US Senate in 2028 when long-time party oligarch Chuck Schumer’s seat is up?

Indeed, a poll this spring found AOC besting Schumer in a hypothetical Senate primary – and her margin of victory was stark: 55% to 36%, a whopping 19-point advantage. Experts caution that the poll is just an early snapshot and that AOC hasn’t even signalled a willingness to run, of course. Moreover, the polling – conducted in early April by the uber-liberal Data for Progress, which favors the progressive left– occurred right after Schumer voted with the GOP to avoid a government shutdown, a move that raised the ire of grassroot Democrats and led to widespread criticism of the New York incumbent. Were many Democrats just registering their disgust with Schumer by suggesting they might actually vote to unseat him?

That’s one explanation, but it’s clear that AOC’s star is beginning to rise well outside the tempestuous fishbowl of New York politics. Consider a spate of polls about who Democrats might favor as their presidential standard bearer in 2028. Two of those polls have found that AOC is now the front-runner for the nomination, besting Kamala Harris, whose own star is falling fast, and leaving a trail of other prospective candidates, including Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg and Hakeem Jeffries, in the dust. These polls have followed news of AOC’s numerous public appearances during “Fight the Oligarchy” rallies and town halls held across the country, which gave the New York congresswoman unprecedented press coverage and dramatically raised her public profile nationwide.

For better or worse, in many people’s minds, AOCis now the most visible face of the Democratic party in the aftermath of Trump’s devastating victory last November which has left the party “brand” in shambles. Democrats need a fresh direction – and fresh leadership – and many in the party, especially at the base, are clearly warming to AOC.

But apparently, it’s not just many Democrats. Another just released poll conducted by Atlas Intel – widely considered the most reliable political pollster in the country, due to its uncanny prediction of the results of the last two presidential elections – has found that voters overall, including some Republicans, have a favorable opinion of Ocasio-Cortez, too. In fact, the poll found that her favorability rating among the general electorate is........

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