In a political landscape as polarized as it is dynamic, two recent polls offer a fascinating, and at times contradictory, glimpse into the minds of American voters. While U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) emerges as a surprisingly popular national figure, a new survey on hypothetical presidential choices reveals a strong pull towards Trump-like Republicanism, leaving traditional political archetypes in their wake.
A new Napolitan News Service poll, helmed by veteran pollster Scott Rasmussen, presented 2,000 registered voters with a thought experiment: choose between four hypothetical presidential candidates with “equal skills and temperament.”
The results were telling.
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Only 17% of respondents gravitated towards a traditional Republican, while 22% favored a traditional Democrat. The real story, however, lay elsewhere: a substantial 35% of voters expressed a preference for a “Trump-like Republican,” significantly outweighing the 17% who would back a Democrat aligned with Ocasio-Cortez’s policies.
This preference for a Trump-esque leader comes amidst ongoing criticism of Ocasio-Cortez on her home turf. Despite her assertions of active community engagement, constituents in her New York district are vocal about her perceived failure to address rising crime and local concerns.
Councilman Robert Holden didn’t mince words, stating, “She can’t be bothered doing mundane constituent services like addressing quality of life issues in her district. She’s too busy trying to make our entire country into a carbon copy of the failed Soviet Union — Queens and the Bronx deserve better.”
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Indeed, NYPD data paints a grim picture for Ocasio-Cortez’s district, showing a 70% surge in violent crime since she took office.
Some precincts, like the 110th in Queens, have seen a staggering 105% jump. Residents like Guadelupe Alvarez from Jackson Heights report feeling “dismissed” when attempting to raise these issues at town halls, alleging tightly controlled events with pre-written questions.
Further grievances include difficulty reaching understaffed district offices and criticism over her rejection of a large Amazon warehouse, which she argued didn’t offer “good healthcare, living wages, [or] affordable rent.”
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Yet, despite these local headwinds, a recent AtlasIntel poll conducted in late May 2025 painted a different national picture. Surveying 3,469 participants, the poll astonishingly placed Ocasio-Cortez as the third most popular political figure, surpassing prominent names like President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden, and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
She garnered a 46% positivity rating against a 44% negativity rating, resulting in a net positive image of two points. Only former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama outranked her.
Her strong national showing is particularly notable given her highly visible and often controversial role in Congress, including a recent “rally against oligarchy” tour with Senator Bernie Sanders.
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The AtlasIntel poll’s demographic breakdown offered insights into this national appeal:
- Gender: Female (50.7%), Male (49.0%), Other/prefer not to identify (0.3%)
- Yearly household income: Below $50k (26.8%), $50k – $100k (33.2%), Above $100k (40.0%)
- Age: 18 – 29 (15.7%), 30 – 44 (23.5%), 45 – 64 (34.0%), 65+ (26.8%)
- Education Level: College degree or higher (48.0%), All other (52.0%)
- Race: White (69.9%), Black (8.3%), Hispanic (13.6%), Asian (3.6%), Other (4.6%)
- Partisanship: Republican (30.1%), Independent (43.0%), Democrat (26.8%)
- Region: Sub-urban (57.3%), Urban (22.1%), Rural (20.6%)
While Ocasio-Cortez has remained tight-lipped about her future political aspirations, her undeniable national popularity has ignited speculation among supporters for a potential 2028 presidential bid. However, as the contrasting poll results suggest, the road from local challenges to national leadership is paved with complex political paradoxes.
The question remains: can a surging national profile overcome persistent local criticisms, especially when a significant portion of the electorate appears to be leaning towards a starkly different political philosophy? The evolving American political landscape, it seems, continues to surprise.
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