Karl Rove, the former top aide to ex-President George W Bush and Fox News contributor, penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal on Friday arguing that the GOP still has one potential ace up its sleeve to stave off a blue wave come November: namely, progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).

Rove begins his argument by noting the Democrats have an exceedingly difficult road to winning a majority in the U.S. Senate, having to go through deep red states like Alaska, Nebraska, Georgia, and Iowa to make it happen. He also explains how the gerrymandering wars have likely ended with a slight GOP advantage for the House, although he concedes the Democrats remain tipped to win.

Rove argues, however, that the GOP is being given a gift: “Limelight-seeking Democrats are making the task tougher by defining the party in voters’ minds as out of touch with much of America.” He added:

Near the top of the list is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is clearly eyeing a 2028 presidential bid. She has star appeal but real drawbacks. In a recent “It’s Open With Ilana Glazer” podcast, she revealed just how far she is from the mainstream.

AOC blamed opposition to open borders on a “deep racism” and the “impulse . . . to feel like there is another class of people that is below you.” When Ms. Glazer suggested the death of AOC’s father from lung cancer was the fault of capitalism, Mr. Ocasio-Cortez agreed, calling our market system “barbarism.”

Rove went on to hammer AOC for claiming that billionaires can only be made by illegitimate and corrupt means and for “waxing paranoid” about ICE rounding up Americans alongside illegal immigrants with impunity.

After listing off at length what he sees as AOC’s out of touch and detrimental to the Democratic brand rhetoric, he goes on to explain that she is likely to only suck up more and more of the national spotlight in years to come – which he says the GOP should welcome.

“If she doesn’t seek the presidency in 2028, perhaps she’ll challenge New York’s senior senator, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Regardless, she will be a national presence this year. She will work hard to be heard with appearances across the country,” Rove argues.

Rove went on to note that AOC is part of a rising tide in her party, arguing that Maine’s Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner suffers from similar polarizing deficiencies and major figures like NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Senator Elizabeth Warren continue to drive away swing voters and energize the GOP base.

“Collectively, their words can shape how the public views the party. The effect could be powerful on swing voters. That crucial part of the electorate could draw a simple, politically lethal conclusion: Too many Democrats are too radical for America,” Rove concluded.

Read the full article here.

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