Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, recognized by many as the most prominent leader of the Democratic Party’s far-left wing, has rejoined the national Democratic Socialists of America as she weighs a possible presidential campaign.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez rejoined the national Democratic Socialists of America in August after a seven-year lapse, the organization announced in a statement to members Tuesday.
As soon as she rejoined, a group of DSA leaders announced a petition drive to secure the DSA’s endorsement of Ms. Ocasio-Cortez in the 2028 presidential election. They are calling for the DSA to name Ms. Ocasio-Cortez as its pick for president “as early as possible so that we can use the campaign to grow our movement and spread socialist politics.”
Polls show Ms. Ocasio-Cortez would be a competitive candidate among Democrats who might run for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination.
A Quantus Insights poll released Friday found Ms. Ocasio-Cortez placing third among preferred Democratic candidates at 15.3%, trailing former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 25.7% and Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia at 21.3%.
The group DSA for AOC has collected more than 1,100 signatures in its quest to secure the entire Democratic Socialists of America’s endorsement of Ms. Ocasio-Cortez for president.
“You’ve probably heard names like Gavin Newsom or Pete Buttigieg for president in 2028. No thanks,” a DSA for AOC advocate says in a social media ad. “We need someone who’s going to fight for the working class by passing an arms embargo on Israel, the Green New Deal, and Medicare for all. That’s why AOC should run for president. She’s the best candidate to beat establishment Dems in the primary and MAGA in the general.”
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez rocketed to political stardom after her stunning defeat of 10-term Rep. Joe Crowley in New York’s 2018 Democratic primary. She quickly became one of the most influential members of the House Democratic caucus and her party as she pushed far-left causes, including the Green New Deal and universal healthcare, butting heads with Democratic leaders along the way.
She was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine alongside fellow Squad members Reps. Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley.
The Squad has expanded to seven members and is expected to grow further after the November midterm elections, now that several socialist candidates — including Melat Kiros in Colorado and Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, both of New York — have won Democratic primaries in deep-blue districts.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, meanwhile, is weighing her next move.
Axios reported that a major staff shake-up in her campaign team is in the works as she contemplates whether to run for president or challenge Charles E. Schumer, the five-term Senate minority leader, for his seat in New York’s 2028 Democratic primary.
The Democratic Socialists of America reviewed Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s membership status after she described herself to ABC News as a member of the New York City chapter, though not the national organization — a discrepancy first reported by the Manhattan Institute.
NYC-DSA membership requires paying dues to the national organization and residing in the city.
Amid speculation that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez may be prepping for a presidential run, the DSA said in the statement to members: “While it is atypical for DSA to address the membership status of individuals, ongoing discussions about the 2028 presidential campaign have prompted this release.
“With chapters and members campaigning to draft Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as a potential Presidential Primary candidate, we believe that the status of her membership is essential information for members to have in their deliberations and discussions.”
During Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s seven-year membership hiatus, the DSA repeatedly referred to her affiliation, describing her as a “DSA member” as recently as 2024.
• Susan Ferrechio contributed to this report.
Contact the author
Please read our comment policy before commenting.