Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is not just a Democratic Representative out of New York. She’s not just a loud member of the Squad nor is she just a highly promoted member of the Socialists of America. She’s also a pop-culture icon.
AOC, as she’s so fondly referred to in the media, has a cult following across her social media accounts.
AOC has over 12 million followers on Twitter. This isn’t the account that the federal government operates for her as a Representative. Nope. This is the one that she managers herself. She identifies that she is 100 percent people-funded and, on her Twitter platform, she lives by the comment that “in a modern, moral, & wealthy society, no American should be too poor to live.”
What exactly does AOC talk about that would cause 12 million people to follow her? After all, there aren’t that many people of voting age in her district. Clearly, she has more than just New Yorkers following her.
AOC is a politician but she’s also someone who talks about human rights. She talks about the LGBTQ+ community. She even talks about makeup, skincare, and fashion.
This liberal is well aware of what young voters need and want. At 31-years-old, she’s at an age where she can still relate to those who are of college-age. She’s also mature enough to be a role model to young liberals and aspiring socialists.
Many conservatives don’t really want to deal with AOC. They see her as a barrier to their various goals – and she is. However, she has to be dealt with properly because of the large following that she has. Anything that she posts on Twitter can be liked by thousands within an hour. She has a voice – and it’s extremely loud.
AOC is bilingual, too. She’s talking to Americans in both English and Spanish throughout her platform. She’s talking about things that people want to talk about, including the Olympics. She’s taking the time to listen – and that’s something important to today’s youth. They want to be heard instead of ignored.
What AOC has done and continues to do is unlike what other politicians have done. She has provided a platform where she can be “real” with her voters. She talks to them regularly as opposed to only talking to them when she needs their vote. She has become their “friend” so that they can turn to her when they need to know how to deal with a particular issue.
It’s almost as if her followers are asking, “What would AOC do?”
On Twitter, AOC is mostly political. She will stray into the various current events happening from time to time.
It’s on Instagram where she really starts to show off that she has a cult following.
The NY Representative has another 8 million followers on Instagram. This is her private account where she shares photos of herself throughout her travels. She admits that she doesn’t have TikTok but she makes videos that are fun and youthful. She understands what today’s youth are looking for – and she feeds it to them regularly.
Her IGTV channel talks about what’s going on in terms of legislation – and then breaks it down into an easier way of understanding it all. This is where she stands out – she’s talking to Americans without assuming that they have legal degrees. She’s talking to everyone instead of talking down to them.
The cult following is what allows AOC to stand her ground. She has the ears of young voters. Conservatives aren’t going to get rid of her. However, they can learn from her. When they, too, can start to talk to Americans and become their friends, it can start to level the playing field more effectively.
