AOC may fall flat with centrists should she run for president, ESPN star says

Stephen A. Smith had a question for “Democrats everywhere” on Tuesday during the latest episode of his podcast as he touched on the possibility of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., (AOC) running for president.

“What is your strategy?” Smith asked.

The ESPN personality turned his attention to AOC and a Wall Street Journal report that said she was nOt ruling anything out, including possible Senate and presidential runs. The paper added that some Democrats worried Ocasio-Cortez would “turn off the centrist voters they need to win competitive races.”

Smith agreed she would turn off centrists, saying her platform does nOt resonate with most American voters.

“I think if you are a Democrat, if you are a leftist who rails against the system, who believes free-market capitalism spearheaded by billionaires is not the way to go, if you believe that not enough attention is being paid to the desolate and disenfranchised, if you believe that higher taxes is the way to go, that a focus shouldn’t be on securing the borders, if you believe those kind of things, and that’s where you stand ideologically, AOC is your candidate,” he said on “The Stephen A. Smith Show.” “No doubt about that.”

Smith said he had no doubts about her ability to fight for what she believes and fight for the district in New York that she represents. However, he wondered whether the strategy is something that could win elections.

“Most people in the country are centrists, they’re moderates. Whether they’re Republican moderates or Democratic moderates or just flat-out centrists who are independents – that’s most of the American population,” he said. “They are not MAGA right and they are not progressive left. She clearly is (progressive left). And not be literal and not to be taken literally, but she gives the impression, when you talk about universal healthcare and you talk about other things, if you equate it to taxing Americans 70% of their income she wouldn’t be against it. That ain’t going to win you elections. That’s not going to win you elections.

ESPN’S STEPHEN A SMITH FIRES BACK AT CHARLES BARKLEY AFTER WARNING ABOUT BEING OVEREXPOSED

“If you’re living in this day and age, and you’re talking about fighting for certain rights as it pertains to transgender individuals, athletes transitioning and men competing in women’s sports and stuff like that, which she is not about to speak against. If you think that’s going to win you an election, you’ve got your head in the sand.”

He said he wanted to hear some kind of plan from the Democrats. He pointed to Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who has seemed to be just against anything related to President Donald Trump.

Smith suggested he did not think that was doing enough to legislate.

“The real issue I’m having right now with the Democratic Party is I’m waiting to hear what your plan is,” he said. “It can’t be, ‘We’re just against all things Trump.’ 

“What’s your plan? What’s your plan for the economy? What’s your plan as it pertains to comprehensive immigration reform? What is your plan when it comes to foreign affairs? What is your plan as it pertains to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or should I say Israel with Hamas? What is your plan with Russia and Ukraine? Is it just giving Ukraine more money like Biden was willing to do? What are your plans? … What is the plan as it pertains to the vast majority of Americans in this country?”

Ocasio-Cortez’s constituents made clear to Fox News Digital earlier this month that no one should “underestimate her,” pointing to her 2018 upset of Joe Crowley to win the House seat.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.