This socialist just became an establishment favorite

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s fiery speech at the DNC won over her party’s dubious New York centrists this week.

 CHICAGO — The Democratic establishment has learned to embrace Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a firebrand socialist once at the margins of the party who has become one of its most prominent messengers.

And now she is embracing them back.

The speech electrified delegates — and earned Ocasio-Cortez the begrudging admiration of Democratic leaders, who are now starting to speculate about her political future.

 Ocasio-Cortez’s evolution reflects mainline Democrats’ acknowledgment that she is among the party’s most celebrated stars, and comes as their platform has been nudged leftward by her fellow progressives to reflect populist economic themes.

The moderate Democrats who dominate New York politics recognize Ocasio-Cortez, who at 34 is not old enough to be president, is a generational talent. Rep. Tom Suozzi, a centrist Democrat whose largely suburban House district blanches at progressives like Ocasio-Cortez, believes she has moderated her positions successfully.

“She’s in way better shape to run for statewide office than I ever was, because she can appeal in a Democratic primary a lot better than I can,” said Suozzi, who twice ran unsuccessfully for governor.

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...Ocasio-Cortez drew praise from all over the party, even from reluctant figures.

“I thought AOC was outstanding last night,” New York Democratic Chair Jay Jacobs, a Hochul ally, told the state’s delegation at their morning breakfast a day after her speech. “Don’t tell her I said that, will you?”