AOC tops list of Democrats who best reflect party's "core values": CNN poll

A majority of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say their party's top priority should be working to "stop the Republican agenda," according to a poll commissioned by CNN that found Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is seen as best embodying the party's values.

The survey, conducted by polling firm SSRS, found that 57% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters think that opposing the GOP should be Democrats' priority, as opposed to 42% who say it should "mainly work" with Republicans to improve legislation. In 2017, only 23% of Democratic voters said the party should primarily focus on obstruction, with 74% at the time expressing support for bipartisanship.

Overall, the poll found that the Democratic Party has plummeted in terms of favorabilty: just 29% of those surveyed expressed a positive opinion of the party, compared to 54% who expressed an unfavorable opinion. A decade ago, 47% of voters had a favorable opinion of the party, with 45% disapproving.

In keeping with the broad desire for a party that fights back, the most popular Democrat — the one who "best reflects the core values the Democratic Party" — was Ocasio-Cortez, who was the pick of 10% of those surveyed; former Vice President Kamala Harris was listed by 9% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, while Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was listed by 8%. Former President Barack Obama, who was the top pick of voters surveyed in 2017, registered 18% at the time, fell to 4% in the latest survey.

"I noticed that Chuck Schumer’s name wasn’t on that at all," PBS White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López noted in an appearance on CNN. "The congresswoman is clearly tapping into something across the Democratic base because she is someone who ... unlike I think a lot of other Democrats, knows how to operate in this new media ecosystem," she said. "Voters are responding to her message and they’re feeling like, out of everyone in the party, she is potentially the person who is giving voice to their anger."