To my point, even Democrats in Democratic leaning areas don’t vote for candidates that are as liberal as AOC. She wouldn’t win a Democratic primary much less against a Republican.
You know, except the primaries and elections she has already won… 
The problem with comparing AOC with other progressives is that they aren’t her. I’m not saying that as some kind of fanboi - I don’t actually think she is ready for the presidency, yet. But the fact is that charisma still is a very important in US elections - and she has a lot of charisma. It’s sad to say, but if policy won elections here we wouldn’t be in this mess.
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And I already pointed out that she’d have a problem with the primary.
But if she got through the primary for a statewide race she’d likely handily win on strength of being the Democratic candidate. Because the red/blue split you referenced is one of counties and congressional districts. And the state is heavy on partisan voting and machine politics.
This state will elect outright idiots if they’re the DNC candidate.
A lot of your counter examples have too many provisos.
And the thing you’re forgetting is that she’s in office down to winning a primary and an election in a mixed district. Her district was formerly one of the more “moderate” to conservative, heavily white, wealthier districts in NYC. Though reliably blue since the 90s. AOC’s baseline came in from a growing younger, non white population in parts of the district. But she prevailed by way of winning over some of those “won’t vote for some one that liberal types”.
It’s hardly the state in miniature, but this is a thing she’s done already. Repeatedly.
You also seem to keep saying that New York voters and Democratic voters are more conservative or whatever.
That’s hardly unique to NY, Democratic voters in general are less liberal than the progressive wing of the party. Particularly the Black and Hispanic parts of the coalition tend to be not as far left as urban whites. There’s a much firmer “generation” gap on that than among white voters though.
I wouldn’t even just boil it down to charisma. She’s very good at messaging and ran/runs very tight campaigns. Her organization is very good at fundraising, and they built an absolutely incredible online campaign and fundraising operation.
One of those fun details out of the 2020 election was that every single candidate that accepted help from her online operation, or booked contractors that started there. Won. Every single candidate that turned them down, lost.
That’s a big part of why I think the House is the place here. She’s incredible at organizing, in a way and at a level that a lot of other prominent progressives either aren’t or refuse to. And like it or not the House DNC caucus is becoming the core of that kind party level leadership.
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