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In cities across the country, including traditionally conservative regions like Idaho and Utah, thousands of Americans have packed arenas and public venues to hear from two of the Democratic Party’s most prominent progressive voices.
Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are leading a powerful political charge through their nationwide Fighting Oligarchy Tour, and recent polling data suggests they are tapping into deep dissatisfaction among Democratic voters with the party’s current leadership and approach to former President Donald Trump.
Over the past several weeks, Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders have delivered impassioned speeches about economic inequality, political corruption, and the erosion of working-class security.
Their message has struck a nerve far beyond their traditional base, drawing unprecedented crowds in deeply red states. According to tour organizers, attendance at rallies has ranged from tens of thousands in Denver and Salt Lake City to thousands more in smaller towns across Nebraska, Iowa, and Michigan.
At a rally in Nampa, Idaho, Ocasio-Cortez addressed a full house of 12,500 people, where she spoke about economic justice, access to healthcare, and the rising cost of living. “We’re here to flip this state,” she told the crowd. “We might all come from different places, but we share so many of the same experiences.”
Sanders echoed her sentiment, adding, “We don’t accept this blue state, red state nonsense. We are one people.”
The event in Nampa followed another massive turnout in Salt Lake City, where more than 20,000 people filled the Huntsman Center and an additional 4,000 gathered in an overflow area outside.
The message at both events was clear: a growing segment of the American population is ready for a fundamental transformation of the country’s economic and political systems, and they are turning to progressive leaders to guide the way.
Their speeches emphasized themes that go beyond partisanship—issues like income inequality, universal healthcare, corporate accountability, and the defense of democracy. Ocasio-Cortez, whose rise to national prominence began with her upset victory over longtime Representative Joe Crowley, delivered a message in Utah that resonated deeply with the audience.
“So many of us know what it feels like for life to be one bad day, one bad piece of news, one major setback from everything feeling like it’s going to fall apart,” she said. “And we don’t have to live like this anymore, Utah. We can make a new world, a better country where we can fight for the dignity of all people.”
Sanders, who has long been critical of wealth inequality and corporate influence, also used the rallies to speak out against what he described as an oligarchic structure strangling American democracy. He highlighted the need for a fair economy and a political system that genuinely represents the majority of Americans, not just the wealthiest few.
Recent polling data suggests their message is resonating. A survey conducted earlier this month found that 72 percent of Democratic voters preferred leaders who adopt a more aggressive stance against Trump and his policies, rather than those who seek compromise. Only 28 percent of Democratic respondents said they favored a centrist approach.
The data reflects growing frustration within the Democratic base, particularly as the party’s top leaders continue to pursue bipartisan cooperation in a sharply divided political climate.
The contrast between the progressive tour and the strategy of Democratic leadership has been stark. Figures such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have faced criticism for decisions that many view as concessions to Republican priorities.
Schumer recently supported a GOP-backed spending bill that increased military funding while cutting nondefense spending by $13 billion. Jeffries has voiced concerns about progressive advocacy groups like MoveOn and Indivisible, which have urged Democrats to take a more forceful stand against Trump’s administration and agenda.
At the rallies, Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez have not hesitated to address such internal tensions within the party. They have argued that the fight against Trump-era policies requires more than cautious negotiation—it demands a sweeping, unapologetic commitment to progressive values.
From combating insider trading in Congress to opposing the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which has spearheaded federal spending cuts, they have framed their movement as one driven by working-class interests.
The crowds turning out to hear this message are not limited to longtime progressives. Tour stops in rural towns and conservative strongholds have seen large, diverse audiences that include independents, young voters, and even some disillusioned conservatives.
In Greeley, Colorado, a town not known for liberal politics, more than 10,000 people gathered to hear Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez speak.
In Denver, the turnout was even larger. Around 30,000 people packed Civic Center Park to listen as the lawmakers spoke out against income inequality and the growing concentration of power in the hands of billionaires.
Their speeches reflected both anger and hope—anger at a system that many believe has failed them, and hope for a future shaped by solidarity, justice, and accountability.
Beyond the rallies, the progressive momentum is starting to show in political metrics as well. In a hypothetical 2028 U.S. Senate primary matchup in New York, Ocasio-Cortez was found to be leading Schumer by 19 percentage points, with 55 percent of Democratic voters saying they would support her over the five-term incumbent. The finding underscores a growing appetite for generational change and a new vision for Democratic leadership.
The same trend is visible in early discussions around the 2028 presidential election. Though former Vice President Kamala Harris currently leads among potential Democratic contenders with 28 percent support, her numbers have declined in recent months.
Senator Cory Booker holds second place at 11 percent, followed by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Ocasio-Cortez, both at 7 percent. Ocasio-Cortez, notably, is polling ahead of more traditionally favored candidates like California Governor Gavin Newsom and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Political analysts have noted that Ocasio-Cortez’s rising influence signals a shift in Democratic politics. Basil Smikle, former executive director of the New York State Democratic Party, stated that the congresswoman “represents the next generation of Democratic politics,” pointing to her victory over Crowley as an early indication of the larger changes now underway within the party.
“There needs to be a generational shift in the party’s leadership and its message to voters,” he said.
The Fighting Oligarchy Tour continues to gain momentum, with future stops planned in swing states and battleground regions. As Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez travel the country, their campaign is not merely a protest against Trump or Republican policy.
It is a broader call to reimagine what the Democratic Party stands for and who it serves.
Their growing popularity among Democratic voters reflects a demand for policies that address everyday struggles—healthcare, wages, housing, and education—rather than political deals made behind closed doors.
With each speech, the message becomes clearer: compromise is no longer enough for a party that claims to represent the people. What voters want now is conviction, courage, and transformative change.
As the Democratic leadership continues to weigh its strategy moving forward, the voices of Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez, and the thousands who fill stadiums to hear them suggest a decisive shift is already underway. The question now is whether the rest of the party is willing—or able—to follow.
