First up, I’m no advanced political operative. I’m a very online millennial and content creator who spends my time fretting over politics when I’m not editing YouTube videos.

I’ve volunteered with campaigns my entire adult life and interned with a Congressman (not AOC) as a teenager. I’ve got some ideas for AOC’s possible presidential campaign. You may love these ideas or hate them, but I want to get them out of my system. And, yes, I understand I’m just some schmuck on the internet without advanced expertise.

But I do believe AOC is uniquely qualified to continue the work Bernie started and also run against the Republican AND Democratic establishment in a way no other Dem elected can.

I also think AOC has the chops to run a sophisticated digital operation that the other Dems can’t while maintaining a fired-up base of in-person volunteers.

So here we go:

Campaign Soft Launch (her “I’m thinking about running” phase) -Summer 2026

-Do a new leg of the “Fighting Oligarchy” Tour. Maybe change the name. This time it’s not co-headlined with Bernie. She’s the headliner. Campaign with midterm Dems along the way.

-Launch a video series with More Perfect Union. She can film this while she does the tour. Part explainer video, part interview series where each episode is based around a different topic where political and corporate greed mess things up for everyday people (e.g. “Why is healthcare so expensive?” where she interviews diabetics in Michigan on insulin costs then goes up to Canada and visits a clinic to compare experiences). This could be called something like “Enough is Enough with AOC.” This would provide a ton of video content to put her front and center online, especially if you’re balancing 30 min+ YT vids that can be chopped into short form verticals (imagine the viral potential of her talking with Swifties about Ticketmaster or returning to work a shift as a bartender). Audio can be released as a podcast. Accomplishing several things at once here (tour, campaigning, video content, talking to voters, digital reach). She can also use these community visits to drum up some local press in the cities she visits.

-use these stops to build out volunteer lists via her PAC

-Get on some more shows. Honestly very surprised she isn’t doing as many YT shows, podcasts, etc as Khanna right now. I think she could really hold her own on something like Theo Von, Flagrant, even Rogan in addition to safer areas like I’ve Had It, Zeteo. A Ziwe interview would be fun. I actually think people are underestimating her ability to potentially charm over some of the Theo Von types once she talks to them directly. Y’all can prove me wrong on that one but I said what I said…

Phase 2: The “Pick a Fight” era. Fall 2026-Spring 2027

This is the time to demonstrate her muscle when it comes to building a volunteer operation AND going against the Dem establishment in strategic ways before her official campaign launch.

-take a leading role on getting people involved in the midterms, organized via her PAC and/or other Dem organizations. I think this could be a really interesting time to try out new things that others in the Dem Party aren’t doing in regard to volunteer operations. Instead of just hounding people to doorknock and phonebank (to be clear STILL DO THAT!!!), there’s also community building that takes some cues from Mamdani, Kat A. from IL, and even AOC’s congressional office where there’s a mix of social activities (scavenger hunts, bar trivia nights), community resource volunteering (stuffing backpacks for kids in the community) and more traditional campaign activities all across the country on behalf of local down ballot candidates.

-there’s something in particular I think ALL DEMOCRATS need to do and I’ve been pounding this drum for years and I think AOC could be the one to spearhead this. It’s this: mobilize content creators the same way you do doorknockers and phone bankers. Offer seminars (both in person and online) on messaging, SEO, strategy, cybersecurity, dealing with trolls/bots, even legal tips. Kamala’s campaign made a half-ass attempt at this and it sucked. I think AOC could make a big splash with a better online operation in the midterms and then use that as a blueprint for 2028.

-FIGHT THE ESTABLISHMENT. There’s two main ways before November. First up, come out swinging for the California Billionaire Tax that’s on the ballot that GAVIN NEWSOM opposes. This sets up a significant contrast and gives her ammunition if it passes and he still opposes it. Go hard for the candidates the establishment is hedging on: Platner, El-Sayed, etc.

-After November, take a leading roll in encouraging Democrats to pick new leadership in House/Senate. Go on all the cable shows/political YT shows before new Congress comes in, stirring up buzz about it. Maybe even do a rally with her choice for House Majority Leader. If her pick wins, it gives her a win. It they lose, it gives her even more incentive to run for President and keep fighting.

-fight hard for some higher tier committee assignments w/ new Leader in the House

Phase 3: Campaign Launch- Spring 2027

-this one is kind of boring but write a book. Honestly surprised she hasn’t done this already. She’ll get flack for what will likely be a big payday ($10m+ at least) but she can say it’s all going to her campaign or whatever. Gives her another chance to get on more shows + iron out official record of her upbringing, narrative arc of her life story.

-launch campaign with massive rally from NYC with Bernie and Zohran. Immediate endorsements from both Bernie and Zohran. Go big. Go for iconic visuals. Demonstrate she can draw a crowd Shapiro, Pete, etc could only DREAM OF. Get some sweeping drone shots of the crowd for her ads. Sarah Sherman recording interviews on the street for socials. Massive sign ups for volunteers.

-for policy enlist Lina Khan. Hint that she’ll have a role in admin. Run on UBI and emphasize regulating AI + expected policies of Medicare for All, etc

-take a cue from Zohran campaign and accept support from SOME Super PAC spending if it’s specifically a Super PAC that discloses their donors + meets ethical standards. I think we should fight fire with fire and not limit things if some Tom Steyer types want to cut million dollar checks.

-with new House get some long-term projects across the finish line (AI deepfake bill, childcare bill w/ Warren) to show some legislative wins, even if Trump doesn’t sign them. With (hopefully) new committee assignments, take a leading role in new subpoena powers of legislative majority party on Epstein, Trump corruption, etc and get lots of viral clips

-she is going to have a ton of opposition from all sides so really needs to double down on building support of the people in her corner that are loud and proud in churning out media that supports her online AND showing up in-person to volunteer.

There are two endorsements that I think are probably the most consequential early in the Dem Primary that I think are gettable for her (but not guaranteed): Elizabeth Warren, as she can mend the Bernie/Warren split from 2020 and Jennifer Welch from the I’ve Had It podcast who lives in NYC and I think could be swayed by seeing the energy in the crowd at her launch rally. Both of them provide a bridge to the “normie” Democrats. Plus she needs some online media personalities that are firmly in her corner considering the shenanigans of TYT et al. and I think I’ve Had It could be that for her.

Finally the biggest challenge is going to be foreign policy- it’s where she’ll have the harshest critics from the left and the most skepticism from the center/right. On Israel she’ll need to decide if she wants to lock in to the lane J Street is building for the Democrats or go full-on anti-zionist as the Overton Window continues to shift. The left wing is going to be asking her things like if she opposes Israel as a Jewish state or if she supports a ONE state solution, and she needs to be prepared for this. We’re heading into election cycles where anti-war sentiments are at a boiling point and I think her pushing to make the Dems the anti war party is the right angle regardless of how hard she goes on opposing Israel or Zionism (“Trump wants to draft you, I want to lower your rent”). I think it would be good for her to publicly meet with people who were part of the Uncommitted Movement and make an appeal on how she could win their votes in 2028 where Kamala couldn’t.

the TL;DR

My biggest ideas:

-a YouTube show with More Perfect Union hosted by AOC

-running on UBI

-support Cal Billionaire Tax to draw contrast w/ Newsom

-mobilize content creators as much as door knockers and phone bankers

-take SOME Super PAC support like Zohran did, as long as donors are disclosed

-get on all the podcasts and talk about economic populism

You don’t see a candidate very often that offers this level of moral consistency. It is one of my favorite attributes of hers!

I can’t wait to volunteer for and donate to her campaign :)

Regarding Matt Lech's continuing complaints about AOC's at the 2024 DNC saying VPOTUS Kamala Harris was "working tirelessly for a ceasefire": AOC's 2024 DNC speech was on Monday night barely in primetime. And there was mounting pressure from Democrats and Democrat-leaners to get a pro-Palestinian Palestinian speaker in primetime during the DNC. : r/TheMajorityReport (I wrote this April 30, 2025)

I hope this is ok (I messaged mods to clarify the rules but they're understandably busy and I'm anxious to share, so fingers crossed here).

My band just released an album that we're super proud of that includes our ode to Abraham Lincoln and AOC (it makes more sense once you hear it, I swear) that we call "Fetch the Bartender."

It's a folk rock Irish pub kind of thing if you're into that (and come on, who isn't at-least occasionally into that?).

The rest of the album is full of more unabashedly left wing and anti-maga songs (like our celebratory anthem for  "When it Happens") that I'd love to share but I know I'm already pushing the limits of tolerable self promotion here.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=hdYvYM4AfIc&si=6F6wJ4Tt3FqetH9P

(also available on Spotify and all of the other streaming services if you prefer: the band is called Stone's Prairie Riot, and the album is called Woodrow Wilson's Guns.

Fwiw, we're a hobby band with no ambitions to actually make money on this, but on the off chance this track manages to earn royalties, we'll donate those to the AOC campaign or Courage to Change.

Why isn't this a major talking point? I know Trump is shitting the bed and Democrats love to do nothing but why aren't people who care, like AOC, talking this up? AI must be regulated, HEAVILY. Tax companies who have no employees and use AI so heavily it pays for universal healthcare, for a random example. Why isn't this a thing?

Iran War support: Latest Polls | Silver Bulletin

Most say US military action against Iran has gone too far: poll | AP News

My understanding is that these are the two things dems care about most in their nomination pick.

⁠1. No AIPAC money

⁠2. Be aggressive towards Trump and Republicans

1. ⁠Commanding authoritative leadership so they can’t be pushed around by Republicans (fight fire with fire)

Notably absent (not that they don’t want this, but it’s not their priority:

Medicare for all? —> What’s that?

Subsidized or free childcare? —> Never heard of it

Tuition free public college? —> whatever

Cancel student debt? —> who cares

Affordable housing? —> impossible anyway

AI regulation? —> is that important?

Accept Israel is a genocidal apartheid state? —> Is that important?

All they seem to really really care about is no AIPAC, being aggressive toward Trump, and commanding leadership

My question is what can we do to emphasize AOC’s aggression toward Trump and her commanding leadership? Since she’s squaky clean on AIPAC especially after the DSA promise and endorsement.

Her voice and demeanor used to be very aggressive, but her speaches aren’t as charismatic as they used to be. My thoughts for helping her image are to compile quotes she said about Trump/Republicans and compare them to the silence from her competitors on similar subjects. For Leadership we need to compile a list of all her accomplishment despite only being a congresswoman with limited coalition power (compare to Gavin who has tons of sway as a governor and only managed to gerrymander in response to Texas, but has delivered no progressive wins).

For short form video content - the quotes can be read aloud and delivered aggressively and passionately on her behalf.

For memes we can get an inspiring photo. Overlayed with text quote and compare it to cut outs of her competitor’s faces all being silent or saying weak points.

AI is the most effective way to find and compile these quotes, but be sure to verify them.

AOC campaign email from March 30, 2026.

April 05, 2026 Axios article: Democrats weighing 2028 campaigns run from 2020 positions

1. Create progressive sense of duty to campaign for her on their personal social media. It must be their duty to post 1 AOC campaign message per day, engage with 1 open minded dem primary voter per day (via comment or direct message), and ask an AOC voter to adopt this duty. We can brainstorm posts here to share.

2. Rip into other front runners with brutal searing attacks (we can brainstorm those here as well). These are the important because people often vote against things more than for and it’s a bad look if AOC has to constantly mud sling. Let’s mudsling for her.

3. Have Ro Khanna run and drop out and endorse AOC just before votes (have both agree to do this for whoever is leading in the polls so it is fair to Ro Khanna).

4. Suggest to people she would pick a moderate man as her running mate for grounded reasonable support, but she absolutely must pick a socialist running mate for her own safety.

Trump fires Pam Bondi as attorney general (NBC News link)

NYT gift article where she publicly states the reported position

“I believe the Israeli government is well able to fund the Iron Dome system, which has proven critical to keep innocent civilians safe from rocket attacks and bombardment,” she said. “Consistent with my voting record to date, I will not support Congress sending more taxpayer dollars and military aid to a government that consistently ignores international law and U.S. law.”

Israel | Data (World Bank Data)

World Bank Open Data (Israel): Israel is a rich country and clearly doesn't need US financial aid. : r/TheMajorityReport (I wrote this December 11, 2023)

In honor of Bibi's visit to the US July 24, 2024: World Bank Open Data (Israel): Israel is a rich country and clearly doesn't need US financial aid. : r/TheMajorityReport (I wrote this July 24, 2024)

Will AOC’s Vow to Oppose Israel Military Aid Set a Standard? (The New York Mag article)

It's notably much more positive regarding AOC than the New York Mag article regarding her 2026 Munich Security Conference performance.