Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is eyeing higher office, according to a report that came out on Friday,
Her team told Axios, that she is weighing two options: a 2028 presidential bid or a Senate challenge to Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. The move comes as Ocasio-Cortez has worked to expand her national profile, joining Senator Bernie Sanders’ “Fighting Oligarchy” tour and headlining town halls across the country. She has poured millions into boosting her social media reach while building a broad base of potential donors and supporters, positioning herself to ramp up fundraising for a possible national campaign.
AOC is gearing up to run for president in 2028 per @axios. I think she’s wrong on virtually every issue — and not sure how smart she is — but she has a massive social media platform. Curious if Democrats are willing to pick a woman after Hillary & Kamala losses. pic.twitter.com/ShUNhDertZ
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) September 19, 2025
Her team has suggested that even if she doesn’t expect to win a presidential race, Ocasio-Cortez could still shift the political landscape by giving progressives a larger stake in the contest, much as Bernie Sanders did in his challenge to Hillary Clinton in 2016. At the very least, she could force the eventual Democratic nominee to cater to the party’s progressive wing, which has grown in popularity in recent months.
Ocasio-Cortez has positioned herself as one of President Trump’s fiercest critics on the left, amplified anti-Israel rhetoric by opposing the war in Gaza, and fought aggressively against deportation policies. Meanwhile, her signature “tax the rich” message may carry more weight than ever, as Democrats nationwide watch open socialists like Zohran Mamdani in New York City unseat establishment Democrats. Amid increasing housing costs and rising cost of living, people are looking for solutions, and socialism sounds like a good one to many voters.
When the NY Post, reached out for comment to Bernie Sanders' office, one aide suggested that it is the “height of arrogance to assume she couldn’t win the 2028 nomination.”
Considering Mamdani's clear 20-point lead in the NYC mayoral race, and the increasing widespread acceptance of socialism in several high-profile races around the country, it would be in the best interest of the country to heed that warning.