In 2007, the International Astronomical Union named asteroid 23238 after a gifted young Bronx schoolgirl for her outstanding microbiology research project.

It was an early indication of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s extraordinary talent – and a precursor to a tough decade for the working-class Puerto Rican New Yorker.

She enrolled at Boston University the following year. But after her dad died of lung cancer, the 18-year-old found herself desperately fighting foreclosure on the home she shared with her mum, while waiting tables to fund her studies.

This not only made her stronger, it also ignited a burning desire for political change that last year saw Ocasio-Cortez become the youngest US congresswoman in history after pulling off a major upset in the midterm primaries.

Trying to predict what will happen in global politics can be an act of folly.

That said, I placed my first political bet this week – that this rising star of the Democratic party will become the first female president of America.

The 29-year-old is still six years too young to run – presidential candidates must be at least 35.

But I challenge anyone to do some reading, watch some videos, and fail to see the unbridled potential and ambition of this unapologetic “democratic socialist”.

There is a steely determination, formidable intellect and a star quality to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Despite having virtually no public profile a year ago, Ocasio-Cortez has now amassed 3.3million Twitter followers.

Behind her dazzling good looks, there is a steely determination, formidable intellect and a star quality that seems to capture the imagination of voters.

She began her congressional campaign at the taco joint where she worked.

Undeterred by big hitter Joe Crowley’s local fame and enormous funding – he spent £3million compared with her £150,000 – she said simply: “You can’t really beat big money with more money. You have to beat them with a totally different game.”

In the end, she overturned a huge poll lead to beat Crowley by almost 15 percentage points.

Her major policies are healthcare for all, free college education, a minimum wage and 70 per cent tax on earnings over £10million.

She understands the horrifying threat of climate change and the imperative to take action quickly.

And yet Ocasio-Cortez refuses to become bogged down in ideological dogma. She said: “I’m not running from the left – I’m running from the bottom. I’m running in fierce advocacy of working-class Americans. That’s my North Star. Always has been. Always will be.”

There are parallels between America’s ageing left-winger Bernie Sanders – for whom Ocasio-Cortez campaigned in the last election – and Jeremy Corbyn here in the UK. Both men have successfully re-established an unashamed social justice agenda in their respective countries.

But if Sanders and Corbyn are destined to go down in history as signposts rather than instigators – Ocasio-Cortez could be the one to make change a reality in America.

Watch this space as asteroid 23238 continues its meteoric rise.

With any luck her light will guide the way for someone like her on this side of the Atlantic.