If I Only Had a Brain: Will AOC Fall to Michelle Caruso-Cabrera?

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When it comes to political comedy, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is the gift that keeps on giving. Each week, Liberty Nation uncovers the blunders that keep us wondering: How did she ever get elected?

Will Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s district consider moving closer to the center? If key donors have anything to say about it, then it just might. The lawmaker is currently embroiled in a fierce primary battle with challenger Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, a former CNBC reporter.

AOC’s Opponent Gets Major Funding

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and her Democratic challenger are set to face off on June 23 in the New York primary election. Michelle Caruso-Cabrera has received sizeable contributions from high-profile Wall Street donors, including Silver Lake Partner’s Glenn Hutchins, Goldman Sachs’ David Solomon, Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman, and some others. Caruso-Cabrera has raised over $2 million in funding.

AOC’s challenger, who bills herself as a “centralist,” was registered as a Republican as soon as 2015, but switched her affiliation to the Democratic Party. While AOC has a clear edge over Caruso-Cabrera, the support from investors could help the latter contend with the incumbent.

The former journalist has struck a clear contrast to AOC, who was elected on a distinctly far-left platform. The lawmaker favors progressive policies such as free medicare, free education, and the pie-in-the-sky Green New Deal.

Caruso-Cabrera has lambasted the Democrats on multiple occasions. In 2010, she authored a book in which she argued that they are “out of control when it comes to spending.” During a recent interview, she said: “I’m pro-choice, I’m pro-same-sex marriage, I’m very pro-immigrant, I am centrist for sure.”

The challenger has received financial support from both Democrats and Republicans – a fact that AOC has used against her opponent. “It’s not surprising that Republicans would finance the campaign of a life-long Republican in a Democratic primary,” AOC told The Financial Times. “While we have pushed against corporate power with policies that favor everyday working Americans, those donors prefer to bankroll a candidate who answers to Wall Street over the needs of our constituents.”

Will It Work?

While Caruso-Cabrera seems to be making a decent showing, the incumbent still has a considerable edge over her opponent. AOC has raised about $10.5 million for her re-election efforts. Even further, a poll conducted in May showed that Ocasio-Cortez had a 73% to 11% lead over Caruso-Cabrera.

It’s worth pointing out that even if AOC manages to keep her seat, it won’t change the fact that the moderate establishment has still prevailed in 2020, and the socialist movement has taken a hit. But this does not mean that the far-left faction is out of business. Unless the Democrats find another way to prevent the lawmaker from exerting more influence, this war will begin anew starting next year.

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Read more from Jeff Charles.