Republicans and conservatives have long dismissed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, as a bumbling idiot making childish promises to her voters. Her policy is bad. But she is a far more talented politician than people give her credit for.

Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville says she's “not gonna have any chance” at the presidential nomination in 2028. Vice President JD Vance, meanwhile, seems to be goading her into a run, a sign the Republican front-runner thinks it works to his advantage.

Republicans and moderate Democrats alike should take AOC seriously. She is likely to run in 2028, and she should be viewed as one of the favorites for the Democratic nomination.

AOC is a stronger threat than people think

Democrats are in the midst of a partisan reckoning, and the new populist wave – working-class champions, democratic socialists and other political outsiders – is remaking the party in its image. Nobody should be happier than Ocasio-Cortez. The environment is shaping up well for her to have a legitimate shot at the presidential nomination.

This wave mimics the approach that won Ocasio-Cortez her first House race eight years ago, when she upset a 10-term incumbent during President Donald Trump's first term. She harnessed voters' anger at the Democrats in power to sell a progressive agenda: abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Medicare for all and a slate of other reforms.

AOC was ahead of........

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