Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders hit the road this week to rally Democrats to fight back against President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk’s “move to an oligarchy.”
The Vermonter and New Yorker each brought their pro-worker stump speeches to the southwestern purple states on Thursday, day one of a three-day tour.
The pair's Las Vegas stop drew over a thousand people, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal, with supporters chanting "primary Chuck” during AOC’s speech, referring to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. In Tempe, Arizona, the duo addressed a crowd of more than 15,000 between an arena and overflow attendees outside, the senator said on social media.
Speaking in Arizona, Sanders, whose “Fighting Oligarchy Tour” has already touched down in Wisconsin and Michigan, homed in on the billionaires he says are tightening their grip on the country.
“We will not allow you to move this country to an oligarchy. We’re not going to allow you and your friend Mr. Musk and the other billionaires to wreak havoc on this country,” Sanders told rallygoers. “We’re not a poor country. There is no excuse on God’s earth for people to have to choose between food and the medicine they need to stay alive.”
Ocasio-Cortez brought a similar but more optimistic message, championing universal healthcare, a living wage and other progressive reforms while peaking out against the Trump administration.
“I want to live in an America that guarantees healthcare to every person. I want to live in an America that has a living wage for every person. I want to live in an America where you have free speech to express yourself and not be afraid of being put on a list or deported,” she told the cheering crowd.
The fourth-term congresswoman, once considered a hard-line left-winger by most Americans, is quickly building a broader tent with her progressive vision for the party. Ocasio-Cortez even topped a poll of Democratic voters this week of leaders who best reflect the party’s core values. The New Yorker told supporters that policies like universal healthcare are not extreme.
“I don’t believe in health care, labor and human dignity because I’m a Marxist — I believe it because I was a waitress,” Ocasio-Cortez told Vegas rallygoers. “Because I scrubbed toilets with my mom to go to school, because I worked double shifts to keep the lights on… We deserve better than this.”
Her message on Trump and DOGE boss Musk was simple: “We’re going to throw these bums out and fight for the nation we deserve,” she said.
The New York lawmaker also appeared to hint at a run against Schumer following his vote to wave through a GOP budget filled with cuts to social services.
“We need a Democratic Party that fights harder for us, too,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “That means our communities – each and every one of us — choosing and voting for Democrats and elected officials who know how to stand for the working class.”
AOC: One thing I love about Arizonans is that you all have shown that if a US Senator isn’t fighting hard enough for you, you’re not afraid to replace her with one who will.
“One thing I love about Arizonans is that you all have shown that if a U.S. Senator isn’t fighting hard enough for you, you’re not afraid to replace her with one who will,” Ocasio-Cortez said. Last year, Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., successfully ran for the seat previously occupied by Democrat-turned-independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.
The Sanders-AOC stops earned a warmer welcome than some Republicans and moderate Democrats have had at their own town halls, which have become the site of anti-DOGE protests in recent weeks. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., even resorted to screening for party identification at the door at a Tuesday town hall, weeding out independent voters who came to question his positions. Schumer, meanwhile, scrapped a book tour amid “security” concerns after protests over his GOP budget vote erupted.
The duo is slated to speak to voters in Denver and Greeley, Colo. later on Friday, and make a return to Arizona for a Tucson rally on Saturday.
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