Former Democratic fundraiser Evan Barker is challenging Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) to explain whether her political positions have changed after the congresswoman described an earlier period of progressive rhetoric as “crazy.”
Barker, who helped raise as much as $50 million for Democratic and progressive candidates, told the Daily Mail that dismissing controversial rhetoric with humor would not satisfy voters seeking an explanation.
“You can’t just, like, hand-wave it away and laugh about it without actually explaining how your views have evolved,” Barker said.
Her criticism centers on whether Democrats have reconsidered their cultural positions or merely changed their messaging following their defeat in the 2024 presidential election.
Barker argued that Ocasio-Cortez has not identified which positions she now considers mistaken or explained what, specifically, she would do differently.
Ocasio-Cortez’s office did not respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment, the newspaper reported.
The congresswoman’s remarks originally came during a discussion of Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong’s previous statements, according to the New York Post.
During that television appearance, Ocasio-Cortez urged voters to consider candidates’ current positions and described political rhetoric during the pandemic as different from today’s discussions.
Barker interpreted the remarks as part of a broader Democratic effort to move past unpopular positions without directly addressing them.
She told the Daily Mail that the distinction could become especially important if Ocasio-Cortez pursues a presidential campaign. Barker’s comments concerned a possible candidacy, rather than an announced presidential bid.
Barker now identifies as an independent after spending five years fundraising for Democratic and progressive candidates.
She voted for President Donald Trump in 2024 after becoming disillusioned with the Democratic Party, including its presentation of working-class concerns at that year’s national convention.
Her criticism of the convention gained attention through a viral TikTok video, the Daily Mail reported.
Barker discusses her departure from Democratic politics in her book, “Nothing Left: Confessions of a Democratic Operative.”
Although she said she does not regret voting for Trump, Barker also expressed disappointment with the direction of his second term.
Her criticism of Democrats focused on what she described as an unwillingness to examine the reasons voters abandoned the party.
Barker argued that emphasizing economic proposals would not automatically resolve disagreements over cultural issues, particularly among working-class voters who prioritize both.
“FDR wasn’t woke,” she said, invoking former President Franklin D. Roosevelt while questioning Democrats’ efforts to combine their economic message with progressive social positions.
Barker said Republicans would continue highlighting Democrats’ previous statements, regardless of whether Democratic candidates preferred to discuss prices or other economic concerns.
She also said readers had contacted her after the book’s publication, including disillusioned Democrats, independents and Republicans who welcomed her account.
However, she expressed frustration that Democrats had shown little willingness to engage with her criticism or advice.
Barker cited her mother as an example of a voter whose cultural priorities continued to favor Republicans despite dissatisfaction with Trump.
According to Barker, her mother believed neither party substantially changed her finances but felt Republicans better reflected her values when choosing candidates in elections.
