Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) slammed X owner Elon Musk on his platform after he claims "she's not that smart." (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
"It is a case of the squeaky wheel gets the grease, so it wouldn't be surprising that she will run a vibes-based campaign," Libby Krieger of the Communications Counsel told Fox News Digital.
"This is because a lot of her substance is soundbites or progressive policies," Krieger added.
Ocasio-Cortez sparked the first round of attention Wednesday by reposting the Verasight poll on X.
The poll showed her narrowly ahead of Vance, 51% to 49%, in a hypothetical 2028 matchup. Her first response was "Bloop!"
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Ocasio-Cortez's communication style morphed into a second message later Wednesday declaring she would "stomp him" if the 2028 race became real.
When asked by a reporter if she thought she could defeat the 41-year-old, she replied: "Listen, these polls, like three years out, are, you know, they are what they are. But let the record show: I would stomp him. I would stomp him!"
The two moments highlighted what Krieger says will evolve into a youth-oriented, "vibes"-driven campaign targeted toward young voters.
"AOC is trying to lean into the Gen Z language and connect with younger voters," she said.
"She is setting up a campaign that would be based more on vibes than on her policy platform."
Vice President JD Vance speaking with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Oct. 1, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Evan Vucci/The Associated Press)
By contrast, Krieger said Vance holds an advantage with voters who prioritize depth and policy grounding.
"J.D. Vance has more substance than AOC and I think Americans would see that," she said. "Vance knows his stuff on nearly every issue and is extremely articulate, and he's also young."
She added that both Ocasio-Cortez and Vance tap into newer strains of populism, including a willingness to appear casual or self-aware online.
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"Decorum can sometimes be perceived as elitist or very establishment," she said. "But Vance has the advantage of not just being a squeaky wheel like AOC while still being young enough to come across as relatable."
Fox News Digital has reached out to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and J.D. Vance for comment.
Emma Bussey is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Before joining Fox, she worked at The Telegraph with the U.S. overnight team, across desks including foreign, politics, news, sport and culture.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/aoc-predicts-triumph-jd-vance-hypothetical-2028-matchup-let-record-show-i-would-stomp-him