Fox News political analyst Guy Benson reportedly raised eyebrows Thursday after arguing that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat and one of the most outspoken figures on the left, could realistically win the presidency under the right conditions in modern America.
The exchange took place on Fox Business, where host Stuart Varney pressed Benson on whether he truly believed Ocasio-Cortez could ever make it to the Oval Office.
“I can’t see her winning the presidency. Can you?” Varney asked.
“Yes,” Benson replied without hesitation, prompting a stunned reaction from Varney. “What?”
Benson quickly clarified that he would not bet on such an outcome, but insisted it is no longer unthinkable. “I think it’s absolutely possible,” he said. “So let’s just talk about this.”
Benson argued that if Ocasio-Cortez entered a Democratic primary, she would have a legitimate shot at winning the nomination. While he said she would not necessarily be the front-runner, he emphasized that her influence within the party and her ability to energize a passionate base should not be dismissed.
“I think if she ran for president, she would have at least a decent fighter’s chance to win the nomination,” Benson said. “I don’t think she’d be the front-runner. I’m not sure she’d win it, but I think that there’s a real possibility that she could.”
He then turned to the realities of the general election, arguing that American politics has increasingly become a binary choice where traditional ideas of “electability” no longer apply.
“Then, ultimately, it’s two choices in this country for president,” Benson said. “It’s generally down to a binary choice for most voters. And I’m not sure there’s such a thing as unelectable anymore in America.”
Benson acknowledged that in a normal political environment, Ocasio-Cortez would likely struggle to win nationwide. But he stressed that elections rarely occur under normal circumstances anymore.
“In a normal election cycle, I don’t think she could win,” he said. “But under a circumstance where the public is fed up with the Republicans or the incumbents and she’s representing major change, I absolutely could see her winning.”
Varney pushed back, asking whether Benson truly believed the country had moved far enough left to elect Ocasio-Cortez president.
“No,” Benson replied, but he added that the electorate has become highly unstable and prone to dramatic swings. “I think that we are just swinging wildly back and forth.”
To make his point, Benson pointed to President Donald Trump’s political comeback, noting that many on the left had confidently predicted Trump could never win again — only to be proven wrong.
“A few years ago, people said, ‘There’s no way Donald Trump could win again,’” Benson said. “They thought the same thing the first time. And then he did, pretty handily.”
Looking ahead to 2028, Benson outlined a hypothetical scenario in which economic frustration, voter fatigue, and shifting demographics could open the door for almost any major-party candidate.
“If you just close your eyes and envision in 2028 an economy that people are frustrated with, and young people casting about for something new and different,” he said, “there’s a path to victory for anyone with a D next to their name.”
Benson concluded by warning conservatives not to underestimate any opponent in an era defined by political volatility. “I wouldn’t count it out,” he said. “And I would not underestimate her either.”
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