# AOC has a formidable primary challenger in journalist Maria Caruso-Cabrera **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 5, 2020, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148 "2020-04-05T20:55:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/61 "2020-04-08T13:57:01Z")
20 years from now if she has a succesful congressional career she will \*\*\*be \*\*\*the establishment. We’ll see how she feels about revolutions then. > [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Why do we want to nail down these AOC types, where the fuck are they going to go? The Republicans? If they could have split off to some other fucking party they would have done it already, the entire reason Justice Democrats are running as Democrats is because they know they can’t win a goddam thing running as green or socialist or whatever. That’s as much of an election losing position as any purity test. They can’t win on their own but we KNOW they can provoke a loss if they merely just drop out and go home (same reason why the R’s could not just cast off their supremacists and theocrats). That you’ll curse them with your last breath if they do, or even if they don’t and he still wins, is little consolation for anyone. _“Whattya gonna do? Help Trump win, Huh???”_ may get them to hold their nose in a time of imminent threat but once things are stabilized they’ll be justifiably expecting to get some of what they wanted for having stuck to the fight. I hopeif and when we do win and they ask what do they get, your answer is not “nope, grow up little green SJW”. That the system has evolved to encourage green socialists to run as Democrats and white nationalist fascists to run as Republicans if they want to get anywhere, is another whole book. But meanwhile the latter ones are being \*succesful \*at it. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/62 "2020-04-08T16:22:49Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Saying that Crowley lost due to his own failures isn’t demonizing him. I’d prefer Democrats who take elections seriously over Democrats who blow them off. Demonize wasn’t the right word. You weren’t demonizing him. You were belittling and insulting him. He didn’t take AOC seriously because on the surface, she didn’t really seem like a serious candidate. She looked like all the other wing nut primary challengers that failed to get any traction in prior primary cycles. That was a mistake, one that cost him the election. > [@](#): > > What? I meant to say that we would be better off running Hillary again than trying to run the current incarnation of AOC. She may become moderate enough in 11 years to be a better candidate than Hillary. She certainly has all the Charisma that Hillary lacked but she lacks the competence, experience, connections, etc that Hillary brought to the table. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/63 "2020-04-08T16:36:14Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Demonize wasn’t the right word. You weren’t demonizing him. You were belittling and insulting him. He didn’t take AOC seriously because on the surface, she didn’t really seem like a serious candidate. She looked like all the other wing nut primary challengers that failed to get any traction in prior primary cycles. That was a mistake, one that cost him the election. Yes, and good riddance. Not because he’s a bad person, but because he wasn’t up to the job – and part of the job is taking elections seriously. He’ll be fine as a lobbyist or consultant or whatever. > [@](#): > > I meant to say that we would be better off running Hillary again than trying to run the current incarnation of AOC. She may become moderate enough in 11 years to be a better candidate than Hillary. She certainly has all the Charisma that Hillary lacked but she lacks the competence, experience, connections, etc that Hillary brought to the table. She’s a first term Rep – of course she shouldn’t be running for Prez. She’s not 35, so she can’t. With many more years, she’ll be much, much smarter – and I think she’s already plenty smart. We’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/64 "2020-04-08T16:43:18Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I think she is incredibly talented, much more talented than Obama. Obama did not have the name recognition that she does until he ran for President. The fact that any freshman congressman has the name recognition and fundraising ability that she does speaks volumes about her talent. This is difficult stuff that all politicians find challenging. > > But she is not experienced. There is a difference between talent and experience and sometimes it shows. She has made rookie mistakes in her messaging that any moderately experienced politician would’ve dodged. > > But it’s all about fundraising, and she’ll do fine. Even if she loses her primary, she’s not going away. I think she’s going to be an influential force for the next couple of generations. Young Obama didn’t have Twitter or Instagram to build an online footprint. But his 2004 speech made him a party star. The thing about AOC’s popularity is how much of it is just within a bubble of political junkies on the left who adore her and the right who mock her. There was a poll last year that several presidential candidates suffered badly from name recognition problems. We’re talking US Senators. That could easily translate more to a first term House Rep. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/65 "2020-04-08T17:15:23Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I think she is incredibly talented, much more talented than Obama. Obama did not have the name recognition that she does until he ran for President. The fact that any freshman congressman has the name recognition and fundraising ability that she does speaks volumes about her talent. This is difficult stuff that all politicians find challenging. > > But she is not experienced. There is a difference between talent and experience and sometimes it shows. She has made rookie mistakes in her messaging that any moderately experienced politician would’ve dodged. > > But it’s all about fundraising, and she’ll do fine. Even if she loses her primary, she’s not going away. I think she’s going to be an influential force for the next couple of generations. Finding ways to be in the press may say something about her , but TALENT? What does she have a talent for, other than stepping on her own tongue? Being popular, being in the news cycle constantly is almost always a good thing. In fact, it probably (most likely helped incredibly) with her fundraising. But, comparing her to the talented orator that was/is Obama?! Piffle. From this conservatives viewpoint, he was worth 100 AOC’s. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/66 "2020-04-08T17:17:12Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > We want them (young progressives) because there are millions of them. If they become solid Democrats, then that’s millions of solid Democratic votes for decades. If we don’t nail them down, but rather antagonize them by shutting down young progressives for the sake of protecting older, less progressive Democrats, many could become apathetic non voters. > > And there’s no risk, not for safe districts. Encouraging young progressives to challenge older Democrats in safe districts is very healthy for the party. Let the cream rise to the top. Lazy incumbents might lose, but that’s okay - they’ll be replaced by energetic progressives with more talent. This is an old article but we can lose votes in swing states if everyone focuses on the AOCs of the party: [https://www.axios.com/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-poll-democrats-2020-aeaa3771-f142-4059-b79e-1fed569dfdf9.html](https://www.axios.com/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-poll-democrats-2020-aeaa3771-f142-4059-b79e-1fed569dfdf9.html) Young progressives don’t seem to vote any more frequently than young people of prior generations. And maybe (my opinion based on what has happened to every frikking generation before this one) by the time they get old enough to become reliable voters, a lot of them become more moderate. Chasing young progressive voters in safe blue districts seems pointless. It does little to further the agenda to replace a progressive experienced politician for a more progressive novice in a district that is going to vote blue no matter what, it’s not like the old progressive wasn’t voting for progressive things. And as the article above shows, we might be losing moderate votes in swing states in an effort to chase votes in safe districts. Perhaps the argument you are making is that these energized voters in safe blue states can somehow make up for the loss of moderate voters in swing states but I’m not sure how. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/67 "2020-04-08T17:29:56Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > This is an old article but we can lose votes in swing states if everyone focuses on the AOCs of the party: > > [https://www.axios.com/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-poll-democrats-2020-aeaa3771-f142-4059-b79e-1fed569dfdf9.html](https://www.axios.com/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-poll-democrats-2020-aeaa3771-f142-4059-b79e-1fed569dfdf9.html) > > Young progressives don’t seem to vote any more frequently than young people of prior generations. And maybe (my opinion based on what has happened to every frikking generation before this one) by the time they get old enough to become reliable voters, a lot of them become more moderate. > > Chasing young progressive voters in safe blue districts seems pointless. It does little to further the agenda to replace a progressive experienced politician for a more progressive novice in a district that is going to vote blue no matter what, it’s not like the old progressive wasn’t voting for progressive things. And as the article above shows, we might be losing moderate votes in swing states in an effort to chase votes in safe districts. > > Perhaps the argument you are making is that these energized voters in safe blue states can somehow make up for the loss of moderate voters in swing states but I’m not sure how. There are ways for skillful politicians to appeal to both groups. Knowingly antagonizing young progressives is just pointless (as is knowingly antagonizing any other group, aside from racists/bigots/etc.). ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/68 "2020-04-08T17:30:00Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Trump is president, not a first term House Rep. And yes, he is good at lying, praising himself, cronyism, corruption, self promotion, appealing to racists, etc. And AOC is not good at lying (let’s call it mistating facts, or just talking out of her ass), praising herself, and self promotion? Sure she doesn’t have the cronyism but I’m not sure Trump does either. What unqualified friend has he appointed to positions of power? The only place where I see a lot of this is in white house positions and noone really considers white house positions cronyism. She herself does not appear to be corrupt but her former chief of staff and head of the justice Democrats ran into some trouble and resigned as her chief of staff. Trump is in fact corrupt but that’s not what makes him successful. She doesn’t appear to be racist. AFAICT, she is one of those far left liberals that are NOT racist against asians. She does play the race card and engage in identity politics but it’s not in a racist way. She doesn’t say white people are evil, she doesn’t say that model minorities don’t really deserve their success, she generally seem sympathetic to immigrants chasing the american dream. unfortunately Trump is racist and his racism seems to be helping him. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/69 "2020-04-08T17:32:43Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > That’s just delusional. Do you have any evidence that these ads have hurt Biden for the general election? If not, it’s just fantasizing about your hatred of Bernie. He’s not the devil. If he doesn’t go all out in the general to help the nominee, then I’ll agree with you, but it’s ridiculously early to be making such a claim. I think the argument there is that Bernie has lost the primary. It is no longer statistically possible for him to win and he should pivot to trying to shape the platform rather than replace the nominee. The only things that would expel Biden from the top spot would be so extraordinary that the current criticism does nothing to improve his chances. So it is hard to see the purpose of these ads. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/70 "2020-04-08T17:43:29Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > And AOC is not good at lying (let’s call it mistating facts, or just talking out of her ass), praising herself, and self promotion? IMO she’s more honest (including more likely to admit errors) than most politicians of either party. And less narcissistic, at least in her words and actions. > [@](#): > > Sure she doesn’t have the cronyism but I’m not sure Trump does either. What unqualified friend has he appointed to positions of power? The only place where I see a lot of this is in white house positions and noone really considers white house positions cronyism. If you’re serious, this deserves it’s own thread. I have a hard time believing that you’re serious here. Most of his non-judicial (and some of his judicial) nominees have been unqualified and clearly were picked for crony-ish reasons. > [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > I think the argument there is that Bernie has lost the primary. It is no longer statistically possible for him to win and he should pivot to trying to shape the platform rather than replace the nominee. The only things that would expel Biden from the top spot would be so extraordinary that the current criticism does nothing to improve his chances. > > So it is hard to see the purpose of these ads. Those ads are ancient history, and Bernie dropped out today and endorsed Biden. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/71 "2020-04-08T18:13:29Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I think she is incredibly talented, much more talented than Obama. Obama did not have the name recognition that she does until he ran for President. The fact that any freshman congressman has the name recognition and fundraising ability that she does speaks volumes about her talent. This is difficult stuff that all politicians find challenging. > > But she is not experienced. There is a difference between talent and experience and sometimes it shows. She has made rookie mistakes in her messaging that any moderately experienced politician would’ve dodged. > > But it’s all about fundraising, and she’ll do fine. Even if she loses her primary, she’s not going away. I think she’s going to be an influential force for the next couple of generations. I don’t see how she loses her primary. The only way she loses is going so far to the left that she somehow loses in the general. This is what happened to the guy that primaried Eric Cantor. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/72 "2020-04-08T18:26:30Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > That’s as much of an election losing position as any purity test. They can’t win on their own but we KNOW they can provoke a loss if they merely just drop out and go home (same reason why the R’s could not just cast off their supremacists and theocrats). That you’ll curse them with your last breath if they do, or even if they don’t and he still wins, is little consolation for anyone. They’re mostly staying home anyway. By the time they become reliable voters they aren’t that radical anymore. And if you are chasing radicals in blue districts at the expense of modreates in swing districts, then what have you won? > [@](#): > > _“Whattya gonna do? Help Trump win, Huh???”_ may get them to hold their nose in a time of imminent threat but once things are stabilized they’ll be justifiably expecting to get some of what they wanted for having stuck to the fight. I hopeif and when we do win and they ask what do they get, your answer is not “nope, grow up little green SJW”. We can cross that bridge when the current crisis in democracy is over. Who knows what the landscape looks like at that point. Perhaps the parties start to chase the middle again, perhaps they both fly off the rails and a moderate party emerges. > [@](#): > > That the system has evolved to encourage green socialists to run as Democrats and white nationalist fascists to run as Republicans if they want to get anywhere, is another whole book. But meanwhile the latter ones are being \*succesful \*at it. One thing I do like about the Justice Democrats is their focus on breaking the 2 party system. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/73 "2020-04-08T18:31:47Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Yes, and good riddance. Not because he’s a bad person, but because he wasn’t up to the job – and part of the job is taking elections seriously. He’ll be fine as a lobbyist or consultant or whatever. To the extent that not taking primaries seriously is the result of detachment from the constituency, this might be correct but this was a bit of a surprise to everyone. Noone really thought that the bartender from the Bronx was a serious challenge… until election night. > [@](#): > > She’s a first term Rep – of course she shouldn’t be running for Prez. She’s not 35, so she can’t. With many more years, she’ll be much, much smarter – and I think she’s already plenty smart. We’ll see. She is charismatic but she is not really a stand out intellect. But neither was Reagan and he shaped the country for a generation. The big test is whether she can expand her appeal beyond socialists. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/74 "2020-04-08T18:45:13Z")
> [@Kearsen1](#): > > Finding ways to be in the press may say something about her , but TALENT? What does she have a talent for, other than stepping on her own tongue? Being popular, being in the news cycle constantly is almost always a good thing. In fact, it probably (most likely helped incredibly) with her fundraising. > > But, comparing her to the talented orator that was/is Obama?! Piffle. > > From this conservatives viewpoint, he was worth 100 AOC’s. She has given hope to a socialist sliver of society that thought that America would never embrace socialism. But she has no ability to appeal to crossover voters, heck she has trouble appealing to a significant portion of her own party. My guess is that she moderates and becomes more appealing to folks like me and less appealing to folks like iiandyiiii as she gains wisdom and maturity. And while she doesn’t have the oratory ability of Obama but who the hell does. She has her own gifts. She has a lot of charisma with a Julia Roberts smile, she has a lot of integrity and honesty, she has a killer instinct and knows what she wants, she is obviously a hard worker, doesn’t really engage in identity politics too much. Perhaps with maturity and experience she will moderate and become a force for change rather than another Bernie Sander off in the corner of the tent. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/75 "2020-04-08T18:46:52Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > There are ways for skillful politicians to appeal to both groups. Knowingly antagonizing young progressives is just pointless (as is knowingly antagonizing any other group, aside from racists/bigots/etc.). No need to antagonize them. Just treat them the same way we have always treated young people in the past. Recognize that they are idealist and keep patting them on the head until they grow up. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/76 "2020-04-08T18:49:26Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > IMO she’s more honest (including more likely to admit errors) than most politicians of either party. And less narcissistic, at least in her words and actions. I think she honest enough for a politician. I don’t think she is any more likely to admit errors (at least not without dismissing the errors as irrelevant).She is plenty narcissistic but almost every politician is. > [@](#): > > If you’re serious, this deserves it’s own thread. I have a hard time believing that you’re serious here. Most of his non-judicial (and some of his judicial) nominees have been unqualified and clearly were picked for crony-ish reasons. Can you give me the most egregious example? > [@](#): > > Those ads are ancient history, and Bernie dropped out today and endorsed Biden. Oh good. I think we’re going to win. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/77 "2020-04-08T18:57:57Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > … > > But she is not experienced. There is a difference between talent and experience and sometimes it shows. She has made rookie mistakes in her messaging that any moderately experienced politician would’ve dodged… Yes, she is smart but not wise, and not experienced. She shot her mouth off without fact checking several times right after she was elected- and of course got caught making shit up, like “everyone has to work two jobs”. AOC didnt realize that as soon as she won- the press would make sure mistakes like that would get publicity. But she _is_ smart, and she _is_ learning. However, her and her cronies are not helping the party- in almost every case, they are primarying out another Democrat- not winning in a purple seat. ---
**Author:** ![tafinucane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@tafinucane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tafinucane)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/78 "2020-04-08T19:27:31Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Nope. > > A lot of them are a little pissed at her over the Amazon jobs How true is this among her constituents? $3 Billion is a lot of dollars to give a wealthy corporation, and very few of the high paying jobs would have been going to people who are in Queens now. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/79 "2020-04-08T19:42:26Z")
> [@Kearsen1](#): > > Finding ways to be in the press may say something about her , but TALENT? What does she have a talent for, other than stepping on her own tongue? Being popular, being in the news cycle constantly is almost always a good thing. In fact, it probably (most likely helped incredibly) with her fundraising. > > But, comparing her to the talented orator that was/is Obama?! Piffle. > > From this conservatives viewpoint, he was worth 100 AOC’s. Fundraising and Branding She’s talented at getting people to send her money. Fundraising. This is 90% of everything in politics. I expect it’s the thing that most newcomers find most difficult. If you want to run for and hold public office, your local and national party machines are going to expect you to bring in cash. It’s like a job in sales, you get a quota that you’re expected to meet. And apparently this young woman has a real talent for bringing in the bucks and she doesn’t have to work that hard. Everyone knows who she is. She has a short snappy recognizable nickname. Everyone in politics, everyone that follows politics, and a staggering number of people that don’t - know who she is and what she stands for. There are politicians that have worked their entire lives building a career and they still don’t have the fundraising capability and name recognition that she does. And they have the exact same social media tools that she does. > [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > I don’t see how she loses her primary. > The only way she loses is going so far to the left that she somehow loses in the general. > This is what happened to the guy that primaried Eric Cantor. Not going to happen. I never lived in her district but I lived in the district next door when she was elected. This is a deep deep blue district. Her Republican opponent in 2018 didn’t even file the paperwork required to fundraise and spend money, the Republican Party LITERALLY did not want to spend as much as a penny on that race. That is why it was such a big deal when she won her primary. The primary IS the deciding election. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148/80 "2020-04-08T21:54:06Z")
> [@tafinucane](#): > > How true is this among her constituents? $3 Billion is a lot of dollars to give a wealthy corporation, and very few of the high paying jobs would have been going to people who are in Queens now. None of the jobs are gonna go there now. Whether or not her constituents care, or care enough that they won’t vote for her, I don’t know. Maybe “you shouldn’t have to worry about working” is part of her appeal, or at least not a drawback. Part of her apparent bewilderment at the idea that we have to pay for anything, that government just magically summons the Money Fairy and everybody gets free health care and free college and free energy. Regards, Shodan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aoc-has-a-formidable-primary-challenger-in-journalist-maria-caruso-cabrera/851148.md?page=5)