Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is incorporating Gen Z messaging and viral jabs at Vice President J.D. Vance into her playbook as she builds momentum for a 2028 presidential run, a Republican political strategist has claimed.
The strategist’s comments came after the New York Democrat used meme-style language and mocked Vance on Dec. 17 over a poll and declared she would “stomp him” if the matchup became real.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) slammed X owner Elon Musk on his platform after he claims “she’s not that smart.” (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
“It is a case of the squeaky wheel gets the grease, so it wouldn’t be surprising that she will run a vibes-based campaign,” Libby Krieger of the Communications Counsel told Fox News Digital.
“This is because a lot of her substance is soundbites or progressive policies,” Krieger added.
Ocasio-Cortez sparked the first round of attention Wednesday by reposting the Verasight poll on X.
The poll showed her narrowly ahead of Vance, 51% to 49%, in a hypothetical 2028 matchup. Her first response was “Bloop!”
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Ocasio-Cortez’s communication style morphed into a second message later Wednesday declaring she would “stomp him” if the 2028 race became real.
When asked by a reporter if she thought she could defeat the 41-year-old, she replied: “Listen, these polls, like three years out, are, you know, they are what they are. But let the record show: I would stomp him. I would stomp him!”
The two moments highlighted what Krieger says will evolve into a youth-oriented, “vibes”-driven campaign targeted toward young voters.
“AOC is trying to lean into the Gen Z language and connect with younger voters,” she said.
“She is setting up a campaign that would be based more on vibes than on her policy platform.”
Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally at Jenison Field House on the campus of Michigan State University, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Krieger compared the approach to Kamala Harris’ attempt to embrace “brat” culture during the last cycle.
“This almost seems reminiscent of Kamala’s use of ‘brat’ and her version of that,” she said.
“AOC would probably do a little bit better than Kamala in running a campaign based on vibes because she’s younger,” she explained.
“But she’ll still have to talk some policy, as not every voter will be content with voting on vibes – and when she does talk policy, they’ll all see how radical she really is.”
“AOC is not a great candidate because the policies that she has come to be known for are extremely progressive,” Krieger added.
“If she were to make it to a general election she would have to center herself a little bit more to the middle, but that’d be hard given the reputation she’s made for herself.”
Vice President JD Vance speaking with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Oct. 1, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Evan Vucci/The Associated Press)
By contrast, Krieger said Vance holds an advantage with voters who prioritize depth and policy grounding.
“J.D. Vance has more substance than AOC and I think Americans would see that,” she said. “Vance knows his stuff on nearly every issue and is extremely articulate, and he’s also young.”
She added that both Ocasio-Cortez and Vance tap into newer strains of populism, including a willingness to appear casual or self-aware online.
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“Decorum can sometimes be perceived as elitist or very establishment,” she said. “But Vance has the advantage of not just being a squeaky wheel like AOC while still being young enough to come across as relatable.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and J.D. Vance for comment.
Emma Bussey is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Before joining Fox, she worked at The Telegraph with the U.S. overnight team, across desks including foreign, politics, news, sport and culture.
