In a notable sign of intraparty friction, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) declined to endorse Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) as he vies to become majority leader in January. When asked by reporters outside the Capitol whether she would support her home-state senator given growing calls for fresh leadership, Ocasio-Cortez deflected, saying the choice belongs to Senate Democrats.
“I think that this is a sentiment that is seen in a lot of places,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “So how the Senate navigates that, that’s up to their decision.”
Schumer, who turns 76 later this month, faces skepticism from younger party members. Several incoming senators—Sens.-elect Adam Hamilton (D-Kan.), Annie Andrews (D-S.C.), Abdul El-Sayed (D-Mich.), and Troy Jackson (D-Maine)—have already said they will not back him. Still, Schumer asserts he has enough support to secure the leadership post, a claim bolstered by the party’s expanded majority after the midterms, which allows him to win even with some defections.
If Schumer seeks reelection in 2028, he would be 84 at the end of his next term. Ocasio-Cortez is widely viewed as a potential primary challenger, but she pivoted from that question, emphasizing that voters are more concerned with action than future campaigns.
“The last thing that people want to hear from me or any other politician here is about the next election,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “They want to know about the investigations we’re going to be starting, what is the legislation that we’re going to be starting … what we’re going to do with the power that they just gave us.”
Beyond a Senate bid, Ocasio-Cortez is also considered a possible 2028 presidential contender. A progressive PAC, “Ready for AOC,” recently launched to encourage her to run. The congresswoman has acknowledged she is weighing her options, telling ABC News’ “This Week” in August that “anything is possible at this juncture.”
Her reluctance to back Schumer adds to the broader leadership turbulence in Washington. Senate Republicans have also faced internal disputes over their leadership votes, with some conservatives pushing to delay the process. Meanwhile, House GOP leadership battles have intensified as the party grapples with its minority status and looming deadlines.
Schumer’s path to the majority leader position remains secure for now, but the public hesitation from a prominent progressive like Ocasio-Cortez signals that the party’s left wing is pressing for change. Whether that pressure translates into a formal challenge in 2028 or a shift in Senate leadership dynamics remains to be seen.
