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Ex–Dem megadonor warns AOC reflects party's growing split from Clinton-era Democrats
By Max Bacall
Published February 18, 2026
Former Democratic megadonor John Morgan warned that the party has effectively split in two as Democrats continue to elevate candidates with weaker general election appeal, such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., while economic insecurity leaves many Americans vulnerable to socialist messaging.
"There's a future for her [Ocasio-Cortez] because, look, the Democratic Party is two parties. It's socialist, and Bill Clinton Democrats, like me. I'm a Bill Clinton Democrat. I'm the opposite of a socialist," Morgan said Tuesday on "Jesse Watters Primetime."
Former Democratic megadonor John Morgan said the Democratic Party is split between "socialists" and "Bill Clinton Democrats." (Reuters/Liesa Johannssen; JP Yim/Getty Images for Clinton Global Initiative)
He claimed that 40% of Americans do not have $400 saved and that 60% live paycheck to paycheck, leaving many desperate for promises of "free" benefits.
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"They want something. The best word in advertising in the whole world is the word 'free.' Buy one, get one free. She's selling free."
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., attends the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Feb. 13, 2026. (Liesa Johannssen/Reuters)
Morgan’s assessment of Ocasio-Cortez’s political prospects followed her controversial appearance at the Munich Security Conference over the weekend. Her response to a question about whether the U.S. should commit troops to defend Taiwan from a potential Chinese attack was derided by critics as a "word salad," sparking debate about the young Democrat’s future.
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"This is, of course, a, a very long-standing, policy of the United States, and I think what we are hoping for is that we want to make sure that we never get to that point, and we want to make sure that we are moving in all of our economic research and our global positions to avoid any such confrontation and for that question to even arise," Ocasio-Cortez said.
Morgan said the response sounded like Ocasio-Cortez took a page from the "Kamala word salad school for the Trump deranged."
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He criticized other Democratic frontrunners like former Vice President Kamala Harris and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, arguing that figures like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker would pose stronger challenges to Republicans.
"But the Democrats are always hell-bent on nominating someone who has the least chance of winning and not the best chance," he said.
Fox News Digital's Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/ex-dem-megadonor-warns-aoc-reflects-partys-growing-split-from-clinton-era-democrats