Democratic darling Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has found herself a new admirer, though not the kind likely to send flowers. Instead, Marty Dolan, a Wall Street maven with a Harvard MBA and a penchant for old homes and golf, aims to crash AOC’s political party.
Touting himself as the antidote to what he describes as the congresswoman’s far-left fever dream, Dolan is not just stepping into the ring; he’s coming in swinging, ready to tackle Ocasio-Cortez’s “radicalism” head-on in New York’s 14th congressional district. With the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for stock market rallies and Harvard reunions, Dolan’s bid for office is less a polite political challenge and more a full-blown intervention, Wall Street style.
Dolan tossed his cap into the fray for New York’s 14th congressional district seat, seemingly on a mission to knock the beloved congresswoman off her pedestal. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made history in 2018 when she became the youngest woman to ever be elected to Congress at the age of 29. She represents New York’s 14th congressional district and is a member of the Democratic Party. Since taking office in January 2019, Ocasio-Cortez has been an advocate for progressive policies such as the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and criminal justice reform. She has also been a leading voice in the fight against climate change and has been endorsed by several progressive organizations.
The businessman is a Wall Street investor with an MBA from Harvard University, boasting a New York City upbringing. As detailed on his website, Dolan’s campaign platform highlights his interests beyond finance, including golf, writing, and the restoration of vintage homes. Dolan worked in the global risk insurance sector and has been a financial adviser, strategist, and investor for the past 40 years. After launching a challenge to Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) in New York’s 16th Congressional District, he switched districts when George Latimer, a New York county executive, joined the race.
Upon announcing his campaign, Dolan criticized the current trajectory of his party, accusing it of veering excessively to the left, particularly with figures like Ocasio-Cortez at the helm. His campaign announcement emphasized his desire to realign the Democratic Party towards what he views as a more centrist path.
“The primary on June 25th, 2024, will serve as a critical juncture: Have radical policies improved our condition, or have they worsened it?” Dolan posed on his campaign page.
Labeling progressives, including Ocasio-Cortez, as over-influential radicals, Dolan criticized their policy impacts on safety and order in New York City. He cited the controversial bail reform and the visible increase in security measures as evidence of policy failures. Additionally, he lamented the allocation of resources to non-citizens and the significant challenges posed by the federal debt and local tax policies.
Dolan underscored the exodus of taxpayers from New York City, attributing this trend to the unsustainable policies pushed by left-leaning politicians. He critiqued the populist ideologies that prioritize taxing the wealthy over addressing broader economic challenges. According to Dolan, the radicals” ignore that the primary breadwinners are leaving and brush off taxpayer concerns in favor of abstract populist ideologies.”
Declaring a need for change, Dolan advocated for a return to the foundational principles of governance and a recalibration of policies to address income inequality and regional disparities. His policy proposal, dubbed the “Hamilton Plan v. 2.0,” nods to Alexander Hamilton’s vision of a unified republic.
Dolan, a father of three and grandfather of two, emphasizes his New York roots and commitment to the city’s future. Through his campaign, he seeks to offer an alternative to the Democratic Party’s current direction and urge voters to reconsider their support for what he sees as failed radical policies.
Dolan emphatically stated his threshold had been met with “Enough is enough.” He underscored the stark realities facing New York City—from the stark failure of bail reform initiatives to the unsettling sight of the National Guard patrolling subway stations and the bizarre extremes like securing toothpaste as if it were a precious commodity. Meanwhile, as criminals enjoy a leisurely stroll in the city that never sleeps, NYC is apparently hosting a global open house, diverting what little resources we have left to immigrants from every corner of the Earth. How utterly revolutionary of him to notice.
