Republicans do not need their own version of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. They have Dan Crenshaw



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R Us Douthat asks if the Conservatives have their own version of the renowned elected Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., The enthusiastic millennial socialist who is currently living for free in the collective consciousness of Capitol Hill.

Accurate answers were given, some better than others, and crowdsourced specifications emerged. To speak at millennial masses, an AOC equivalent must have a personal story to tell, an understanding of the media and how to handle it, as well as a real cultural ease.

Unfortunately, this kind of person will not be born from a petri dish. They can not be made in the basements of AEI or Heritage, replenished by cheats and donors, before being released around the world. Following the baby boomer's plans for what a cool millennium conservative should look like, a mad political scientist would create a lousy cronenberg monster, an assortment of platitudes in an ill-fitting empty suit.

The person who excites the most "the very demographic online" described by Douthat does exist. But Ben Shapiro is not an elected one. It would miss its millions of young followers and listeners of podcasts, and the dorky lib-destroyer is better suited to the campus auditoriums than the congress halls.

This is not the problem of young blood. Representatives Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, Elise Stefanik of New York and Matt Gaetz of Florida are all technically millennia, born after the start date of 1981. But they call on Fox News, not the dark Web. And although the California representative, Duncan Hunter, certainly acts as a millennium with his optimistic attitude, he is more appealing to federal prosecutors today than young politicians who prefer CPAC to spring break.

The unsatisfactory answer to the question of Douthat is reflected in demography. According to Pew Research, more than the millennials identify as liberal, 63%, compared to conservatives, 25%. The image of Generation X is even darker. But all hope is not lost for the limited crowd of the government. Conservatives have a Navy Seal with an eye patch.

At first glance, the elected representative Dan Crenshaw looks a lot like many Republicans who make up the Congressional Veterans Caucus. He has made three tours abroad. He speaks of the first principles. He comes from Texas. What sets him apart, however, is his attitude and ability to mix things up instead of regurgitating points of discussion.

If the right continues to bet on young rolled-up weapons, it loses the future. Fortunately for Republicans, Crenshaw does not talk about supply-side economics in front of whiteboards. He pulls his hip on "Face the Nation" and succeeds quite well. He plays comedians on "Saturday Night Live", a talent developed by Iraq's enlisted troops rather than by donors at cocktail parties.

He simply gets it. It is real, not manufactured. And Crenshaw is not a one-on-one match against Ocasio-Cortez. He is definitely better.

The bartender turned politician has a martyred complex fed by indulgent and sympathetic media. She has talent but moans as often as she says absurd things about the benefits of her discredited ideology. The soldier turned legislator, on the contrary, understands what he is talking about. And Crenshaw has a clever strategy when he is attacked personally, as one commentator puts it, "Do not get involved, do not be angry."

Crenshaw does not enjoy the perverse media attention that Ocasio-Cortez receives. audience, one viral moment at a time. But he can do it, and the Republicans should help him. Crenshaw is the best they can offer to those under 40.

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