Nobody had that on their bingo card.
A new poll shockingly shows ultra-liberal Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with a slight lead over GOP Vice President JD Vance in a hypothetical 2028 matchup for president.
Democratic socialist Ocasio-Cortez, of New York, edges Vance out 51% to 49% in a new survey from The Argument/Verasight, per Newsweek.
The result is within the poll’s 2.7% margin of error, meaning that AOC and Vance are statistically tied.
The poll asked voters who they would vote for if Vance and Ocasio-Cortez were the major party candidates for president.
Newsweek said that the fact that Ocasio-Cortez holds even a slight lead over Vance in the poll suggests that the 2028 open-seat race for the White House could be very competitive.
The survey result also suggests that neither party has a clear advantage in the next presidential contest and that progressive Democrats remain a viable national force.
Vance is more popular than AOC among white voters, the survey said, with 57% saying they would vote for him versus 43% who would support the Democratic congresswoman.
Ocasio-Cortez, however, had a wide lead among Black voters (79%) and Hispanic voters (64%)
Vance is seen as the favorite for the 2028 GOP nomination for president, with President Donald Trump saying that Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio would make a potent ticket for the GOP.
Ocasio-Cortez has also been mentioned as a potential challenger for the 2028 Democratic Party nod for the White House.
While she polls well with younger voters, AOC overall lags behind California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris in most 2028 surveys.
Vance and Newsom have long been the favorites for their respective party nominations with gamblers who are placing legal bets on the 2028 race.
The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits Trump from seeking a third term in office.
The poll of 1,521 registered voters was conducted between Dec. 5 and 11.