Democrats won the midterms big time and that includes a large crop of the worst kind of politician for a free-market society: Socialists. Their titular leader is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and since they won big too, as did traditional Democrats, AOC will claim “mandate” and be emboldened to run for president in 2028…right? Well, maybe.
Ocasio-Cortez is keeping Democrats guessing about her political future, saying she intends to deliberate privately as progressive activists intensify efforts to draft her into the 2028 presidential race.
The New York Democrat declined to reveal whether she is leaning toward a White House campaign, a possible Senate run or remaining in the House.
“I will be deliberating this privately, but I probably will not be sharing anything publicly for a little while,” Ocasio-Cortez told The Washington Sun this week.
The comments come immediately after the midterm elections, when Democrats captured control of the House and progressives began looking toward the party’s next presidential nomination battle.
Ocasio-Cortez said voters are currently more interested in what Democrats intend to do with their electoral gains than speculation surrounding the 2028 campaign.
“Right now people are wanting to hear about what we’re going to do with the results and the election that we just had,” she said.
That has not stopped progressive organizations from attempting to push her toward a presidential campaign. A newly launched group called Ready for AOC is organizing activists nationwide and collecting signatures urging the democratic socialist congresswoman to seek the White House.
The organization says hundreds of political and union leaders across dozens of states are participating in the effort.
Organizers have set ambitious goals of collecting 1 million signatures and training 10,000 field leaders who could form the foundation of a national campaign if Ocasio-Cortez ultimately enters the race.
“It’s building the infrastructure in case she does run, but it’s also demonstrating to her that there is a movement behind her should she choose to run,” organizer Ravi Sahai told The Washington Post.
Several Democratic Socialists of America chapters have also begun pushing Ocasio-Cortez toward a presidential campaign.
DSA organizations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington and Atlanta have passed “Run, AOC, Run” resolutions, while the organization’s influential New York City chapter is considering a similar proposal.
But she is also considering another potentially consequential option in 2028: seeking New York’s U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. Schumer’s seat will be on the ballot that year, creating the possibility of a major Democratic primary if he seeks another term and Ocasio-Cortez decides to challenge him.
Her political operation is undergoing changes as that decision approaches. Axios reported Thursday that Ocasio-Cortez has ended her relationship with longtime digital fundraising firm Middle Seat, marking the second significant shake-up of her political organization in recent months.
The change does not necessarily indicate which race she might pursue.
