Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she will wait until after the midterm elections to decide whether she will run for president in 2028 or challenge for a Senate seat instead. She has also said she would not be devastated if she ends up leaving elective office altogether.
The New York Democrat, who represents parts of the Bronx and Queens, has built a national profile since entering Congress, and speculation about her next step has intensified as 2028 approaches.
The Senate Option
One path under discussion is a Democratic primary challenge to Sen. Chuck Schumer in New York. Polling cited in commentary on her decision suggests she would have a strong chance of beating Schumer in a primary, and in a heavily Democratic state like New York, that would likely translate into a general election win in November.
However, recent surveys indicate her popularity statewide has been slipping. Some of that decline has been linked to her decision not to campaign alongside Gov. Kathy Hochul.
If Ocasio-Cortez chooses not to run for the Senate, some expect the Democratic Socialists of America to back New York City Council member Chi Ossé as a primary challenger to Schumer instead.
The White House Option
On the presidential front, polling of Democratic voters currently places Ocasio-Cortez as the strongest potential contender floated so far for 2028, though early polling this far from an election carries limited predictive weight.
She is already among the top fundraisers in Congress and has drawn attention for her ability to build relationships across the Democratic caucus. She is widely viewed as a potential successor to Sen. Bernie Sanders as a leading voice of the party’s left flank, even though the coalitions the two have built differ somewhat.
Support for left-leaning economic policy has been growing nationally: a Gallup poll found 43% of Americans now view socialism favorably.
Her Record
Ocasio-Cortez has staked out positions on the left of her party, including opposition to fracking, calls to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, support for a government-run health care system, and free college tuition. Whether those positions will resonate with a broader national electorate by 2028 remains an open question.
For now, Ocasio-Cortez has made clear she is content to let the decision play out after this year’s midterms — and that she is prepared to accept the possibility of holding no elected office at all.
