Trump is consolidating power and our democratic institutions are being ripped apart, while centrist Democrats have been unable to stop him or to make life better for ordinary people. To defeat Trump’s authoritarianism and genuinely improve people’s daily lives, we need to both beat him in a landslide at the polls, and be prepared to defend that victory against sabotage.
We believe that only a left populist candidate with a genuine social movement behind her will be able to accomplish this, and that we are in a moment where one can win the presidency.
Person-to-person field is responsible for the major democratic socialist victories of the last 8 years, but it remains undervalued in mainstream campaign culture. While corporate candidates don’t value it because it relies on volunteer motivation they can’t buy, even many progressive candidates and consultants undervalue field. NYC-DSA and 2026 Congressional primaries have demonstrated an ability to scale volunteer motivation to a level that significantly changes electorates, allowing it to beat the establishment.
AOC is one of the most popular politicians in the country, and is uniquely positioned to cohere a coalition of the center and left while running as an anti-establishment working-class populist. By building a strong field program and grassroots volunteer network ahead of a formal campaign, we can increase her viability and prepare for the big, hard, and possible work of winning the presidency.
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