New York congresswoman and Bernie Sanders supporter Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spoke to CNN’s Chris Cuomo earlier this week and made a case for pitting the Vermont senator against Donald Trump instead of current Democratic front-runner Joe Biden. Afterward, the progressive congresswoman tweeted alongside a clip of her appearance and claimed that Sanders would perform better in the industrial Midwest against Trump and “put key Southwest states in play.”

In addition to such regional advantages, Ocasio-Cortez also claimed Sanders would have more pull with independents, who The Washington Post recently reportedly outnumber registered Republicans for the first time in the U.S.

“@BernieSanders is also much, much stronger with independent voters who we will need in November. He is a stronger candidate than Biden against Trump. I’m not just saying that because we align on progressive policy. I’m saying it because I believe it is true.”

In early February, Common Dreams reported that a national Reuters/Ipsos poll showed Sanders leading Trump by 18 percentage points among independents in a hypothetical head-to-head. Specifically, the Medicare for All advocate gained the support of 46 percent of registered independents, compared to Trump, who won just 28 percent support.

“Bernie Sanders is undeniably the strongest candidate against Donald Trump,” journalist Walker Bragman tweeted in response to the survey.

American professor Russell Berman said at the time that Sanders’ reach with independents could be a long-term benefit.

“Beyond New Hampshire, Sanders’ advantage among independent voters could be his secret weapon in the many large, delegate-rich states that allow them to cast ballots in the Democratic primary.”

Rep. @AOC: "You can get all the votes you want against Trump, if you don't get the electoral college we will not get the presidency back." pic.twitter.com/y0oUttZGwL — The Hill (@thehill) March 6, 2020

Despite this reach, Biden racked up the most wins on Super Tuesday, thrusting him into the front-runner position. According to a Morning Consult poll taken after Super Tuesday, which saw Biden make a massive comeback, 51 percent of Democrat primary voters believe Biden has the best chance against Trump. Conversely, just 28 percent said Sanders was the right choice.

During an appearance on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers on Thursday, Ocasio-Cortez said she would support Biden should he win the nomination, noting the importance of rallying behind the eventual Democratic nominee.

“I think it’s a two-way street,” she said.

As Biden becomes more likely the nominee, Trump appears to be testing out his possible angles of attack for the election. As The Inquisitr previously reported, various commentators are pointing to the purported openings Trump has to run to the left of Biden on issues such as Social Security and health care.