Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has ignited fresh speculation about her political future after a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times, leaving the door open to either a Senate primary challenge against Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in 2028 or a presidential campaign.
The Times interview, conducted by Shane Goldmacher, made clear that Ocasio-Cortez has not settled on her next move beyond this November's midterm elections. "Every element of this is something that's within consideration," she said, signaling that both a Senate run and a White House bid remain on the table.
Schumer, first elected to the Senate in 1998, is a legendary political operator. But his leadership has drawn sharp criticism from the left, which argues he has not been confrontational enough with the Trump administration. At 75, Schumer also faces questions about whether Democrats need a new generation at the helm. Those concerns could create an opening for Ocasio-Cortez, nearly four decades younger and a hero to many on the party's left, to mount a successful primary challenge.
Ocasio-Cortez's Senate calculus could become more complicated if Schumer leads Democrats to a majority in November. That outcome was once seen as a long shot given the Republican lean of many battleground states, but it has grown more plausible as President Trump's approval ratings have slipped amid the war on Iran, persistent voter anxiety over the cost of living, and a string of controversies. Ocasio-Cortez noted wryly that a Democratic Senate majority "would honestly be the best possible problem we could have as a country," adding, "We're working hard to have that problem, and I'll cross that bridge when I get to it."
Skeptics question whether a young, left-wing Latina could win the key swing states that decide presidential elections, such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Arizona. But her supporters counter that she is by far the best-known and most charismatic figure on the left who could plausibly run in 2028, especially with her political mentor, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), now 85. Progressives have momentum in the party, as seen in the rise of figures like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, and Florida Senate nominee Angie Nixon. Ocasio-Cortez's massive social media following and ardent fan base would also make fundraising effortless, and she is either the favorite or second-favorite to become the Democratic nominee on the largest prediction markets.
Yet some on the left have misgivings about a higher-office bid. Progressive strategist Jonathan Tasini told this column that Ocasio-Cortez would "make a terrific president" because "she has the emotional intelligence that is lacking in virtually every other politician I've ever interacted with." But he questioned how successful she could be, given that her progressive worldview is shared only by a minority of Democrats in Congress. "There is virtually no chance in 2028 that she would then have a majority in the House that would share her viewpoint or, in a fantasy world, a Democratic Senate that would be ready to pass 'Medicare for All,'" Tasini warned. "So, she sets herself up to be opposed by significant portions of the Democratic leadership, which then sets her up for failure."
Some local chapters of the Democratic Socialists of America have passed resolutions backing an Ocasio-Cortez presidential bid, even as she has appeared to distance herself from the hardest edges of the left. In an August interview with ABC's "This Week," she approvingly cited a colleague's declaration that "Woke 1 was crazy." Journalist Peter Sterne noted Tuesday that at least one DSA chapter, in southern New Hampshire, has instead pushed for a run by the more uncompromising Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).
Still, Ocasio-Cortez's comments suggest she believes anyone waiting for the perfect moment ends up waiting forever. "There's an argument that some make that this is a very unique political window and, oftentimes in politics, you do only get one shot," she told Goldmacher. "Life doesn't wait for you to be ready for things. Sometimes life just makes things ready for you."
One trait that sets Ocasio-Cortez apart is her willingness to make public the kinds of thoughts other officeholders keep private. That was true this summer when she offered regular social media updates on her decision to begin freezing her eggs. It is also true of her political calculations. To the Times, she mused on the barriers traditionally facing female candidates. "This country has never elected a female president. Why are we pretending that this is not..." she said, trailing off.
