During a conversation with former Obama advisor David Axelrod, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) spoke about her future in politics and the upcoming 2028 election.
When pressed on the possibility of running for president or challenging Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in the primary, Ocasio-Cortez offered a non-committal response, avoiding a direct answer.
She articulated, “My ambition is to change this country. Presidents come and go. Senate, House seats, elected officials come and go. But single-payer healthcare is forever. A living wage is forever, workers’ rights are forever, women’s rights, all of that,” emphasizing her broader goals.
Ocasio-Cortez expressed a desire not to let the prospect of future campaigns interfere with her current congressional responsibilities. She stated, “I want to make decisions from a place of how are we going to change the country,” highlighting a more liberated approach to her role.
Recognized as an influential figure within the Democratic Party, Ocasio-Cortez has allied with Independent Senator Bernie Sanders in past campaigns. She was described by Sanders as “a very, very good politician” and a potentially tough contender in the presidential race.
A recent poll from Quantus Insights indicated that Ocasio-Cortez could secure 14 percent of the vote in a hypothetical 2028 primary against notable opponents, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Currently, the race for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028 is in its infancy, with no significant announcements made by notable party figures. Polling suggests that Kamala Harris remains a frontrunner in hypothetical matchups.
