The Democratic federal representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stated this Sunday that she does not rule out competing for her party's presidential nomination in the upcoming 2028 elections, nor does she dismiss the possibility of seeking a Senate seat, during an interview with the This Week program on ABC News.
When journalist Jonathan Karl pressed her about her future plans, the congresswoman from New York responded without closing any doors: "I haven't ruled out the possibility. I feel honored that there seems to be so much support out there."
Regarding a potential candidacy for the Senate, she was equally candid: "At this point, everything remains a possibility."
AOC, 36 years old, clarified that her immediate priority is the midterm elections in November: "For now, I am focused on winning in the midterm elections," she said.
It's not the first time that the congresswoman has left that door open. Last month, while campaigning in Michigan, she had already told the media Politico that she did not rule out running for president either.
The statements come at a time of fervor from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. This week, former health official Abdul El-Sayed —backed by AOC and Senator Bernie Sanders— won the Democratic primary for the Senate in Michigan, defeating moderate Representative Haley Stevens by less than one percentage point, with a difference of about 14,893 votes out of over 1.5 million ballots counted.
AOC interpreted that victory as a sign of a generational change within the party: "I believe we are at a moment of renewal in the Democratic Party. And I find it very exciting for everyone, so that the party continues to be a coalition of inclusive voices."
The congresswoman also highlighted the rise of "a young electorate with inspiring and passionate ideas, and a wave of galvanizing candidates that I believe truly bring renewed energy to the party."
If AOC decided to run for the Senate in New York, her most likely rival in the primaries would be the current leader of the Democratic minority, Chuck Schumer, who will seek re-election in 2028. A Data for Progress poll from April 2025 already showed her with a hypothetical lead of 55% to 36% over Schumer among Democratic voters in the state.
In the presidential landscape, polls identify her as one of the strongest figures in the Democratic field: a survey from the University of New Hampshire put her at 22%, ahead of Pete Buttigieg at 21%, while AtlasIntel placed her at 26%, followed by Buttigieg (22%) and Gavin Newsom (21.2%).
The political space for AOC expanded following the virtual withdrawal of Sanders from the 2028 presidential race, positioning her as the most prominent figure on the left wing of the party heading into that electoral cycle.
The interview also addressed her personal decision to freeze her eggs, which she publicly shared on Instagram. AOC framed that decision within the political debate surrounding access to reproductive health: "In the current political environment where the federal government wants to deny reproductive health care to women across the country, I believe it is important for public figures to have these conversations and share them to help normalize them."
The Democrats are urgently seeking clear leadership for 2028, the year when Donald Trump —currently serving his second term— could not constitutionally run again, although he has hinted on several occasions that he might try to do so anyway.
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