The Anti-Oligarchy Tour That Has Washington Nervous
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders are drawing record-breaking crowds across America with their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, potentially reshaping the Democratic Party’s future. The progressive duo recently attracted a staggering 20,000 attendees inside a Salt Lake City venue and an estimated 36,000 in Los Angeles, according to The Hill.
“We can make a new world, a better country where we can fight for the dignity of all people,” Ocasio-Cortez told the Utah crowd, exemplifying the tour’s messaging about combating corporate influence and billionaire power in American politics.
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A Movement Built on Anti-Corruption Message
The rallies have become a focal point for those seeking direction following Democratic losses in the 2024 elections. Observers note the events appear less about opposing Trump directly and more about addressing the underlying systems that enabled his rise to power.
“If we are here to defeat [Trump], we must defeat the system that created him,” Ocasio-Cortez told Los Angeles attendees, according to The New Republic.
This anti-corruption message resonates strongly with crowds. Attacks against the “encroaching oligarchy” received noticeably louder responses even than criticisms of Trump himself, with particular anger directed at wealthy figures like Elon Musk and corporate influence in politics.
Generational Shift in Democratic Leadership
The tour’s success comes amid increasing frustration with current Democratic Party leadership, fueling speculation about Ocasio-Cortez’s future ambitions.
“She represents the next generation of Democratic politics,” said Basil Smikle, former executive director for the New York State Democratic Party. “What she has been saying, either tacitly or explicitly, is that there needs to be a generational shift in the party’s leadership and its message to voters.”
This sentiment was reinforced during the Salt Lake City rally when someone in the crowd shouted “Future president!” as Sanders introduced Ocasio-Cortez, triggering enthusiastic cheers.
Fundraising Surge Follows Rallies
The tour’s momentum is translating into financial support. Ocasio-Cortez raised an impressive $9.6 million during the first quarter of 2025 – her strongest fundraising quarter ever and more than five times her tally from the same period last year, according to CNBC.
“I cannot convey enough how grateful I am to the millions of people supporting us with your time, resources, & energy,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted about the fundraising milestone.
Her campaign emphasized that 64% of donations came from first-time donors, with an average contribution of just $21, underscoring the grassroots nature of her support.
Mixed Democratic Reactions
Not all Democrats embrace the Sanders-Ocasio-Cortez approach. Matt Bennett of the center-left Third Way expressed concern that rally attendees represent the party’s “base voters” rather than the swing voters Democrats lost in 2024.
“We need to pay more attention to the voters that we lost, the drop-off voter, the people who left the Democrats after voting for Biden and then voted for Trump,” Bennett noted. “Those are not the people showing up at these rallies.”
Nevertheless, even critics acknowledge Ocasio-Cortez’s effectiveness. Bennett praised her as “a very, very, very effective member of the House” who could “prosecute the case against Trump effectively” if Democrats regain their House majority.
Beyond Opposition: Creating Hope
Beyond policy positions, the tour serves an emotional purpose for many attendees seeking direction and community after recent political setbacks.
“Hope has to be cultivated,” one Los Angeles rally attendee told The New Republic. “Maybe this is therapy?”
Congressman Maxwell Frost, who spoke before Sanders in Los Angeles, emphasized the rallies’ organizing purpose: “When something big happens in the country and people feel like something’s wrong, they’ll pick one of two things – sometimes it drives them further into apathy, sometimes it drives them into action. Organizers stand at that crossroad.”
As the tour continues its trek across America, it remains to be seen whether this progressive energy can be channeled into electoral victories. But with record crowds and surging fundraising numbers, the Sanders-Ocasio-Cortez alliance is clearly tapping into a potent political current that may reshape the Democratic Party’s approach to challenging Trump’s second term.
Trending World News Headlines:
- Armed Jogger’s Viral Video Ignites National Safety Debate
- Harvard Defies Trump, Loses Billions in Federal Funding
- Lightning Strikes Twice: Woman Claims Second $100,000 Prize
- Ex-Congressman Reveals ‘Buried’ 9/11 Intelligence Program Details
- Trump’s ‘Watermelon Head’ Insult Ignites Political Firestorm
