Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: I would ‘stomp’ JD Vance in a presidential election

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: I would ‘stomp’ JD Vance in a presidential election

Benedict Smith

Thu, December 18, 2025 at 2:35 AM UTC

2 min read

AOC — Ms Ocasio-Cortez is seen as one of the frontrunners in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028 - Reuters

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has claimed she would “stomp” JD Vance in a presidential election.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, the Left-wing congresswoman, made the claim hours after sharing a poll on social media showing her leading the vice president 51pc to 49pc in a hypothetical match-up.

When asked about the poll as she left the US Capitol on Wednesday evening, she initially downplayed its significance.

“These polls like three years out… they are what they are,” she told a reporter, who filmed the encounter.

“But let the record show I would stomp him – I would stomp him!” she added, laughing as she walked off and entered a waiting car.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, often known by her initials “AOC”, is seen as one of the frontrunners in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028.

Polling averages put Kamala Harris, the former vice president who lost the 2024 election to Donald Trump, in pole position, slightly ahead of Gavin Newsom, the California governor. Some polls have Mr Newsom in the lead.

This is followed by Pete Buttigieg, the former US transportation secretary, and Ms Ocasio-Cortez.

AOC and Bernie Sanders — AOC is likely to draw support from the wing of the party that voted for Bernie Sanders - AP

The New York congresswoman is the most prominent member of the progressive “squad” of Democrats in Congress and is likely to draw support from the wing of the party that voted for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 and 2020 primaries.

The rapid rise of Zohran Mamdani to become mayor-elect of New York also hints at the opportunities for a young, Left-wing Democrat with a large social media following like Ms Ocasio-Cortez.

Some have suggested she could swerve a presidential campaign and instead take on Chuck Schumer, the Democrat leader in the Senate, in a primary fight for his seat.

Mr Vance is seen as a heavy favourite to become the next Republican presidential candidate, although Mr Trump has so far declined to name a successor.

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, who so far appears the only credible challenger to the vice president, this week ruled out a presidential run in 2028 if Mr Vance decided to seek the nomination.

Mr Vance has previously declared that “president AOC” was “the stuff of nightmares”.

He told an interviewer who raised the prospect of him facing off against the congresswoman in a presidential election in May: “You’ve ruined my sleep for the evening.”

About Our Ads

Source