AOC takes steps toward 2028 presidential bid amid national tour of key states: Report
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA: Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) is reportedly taking quiet “steps” toward a potential 2028 campaign for the presidency.
The New York 14th Congressional District representative, AOC, is currently facing backlash from conservatives for her fiery rally speech in Montgomery, Alabama, where she criticized the Supreme Court. She urged Northern progressives to "pull up to the South" and actively fight against local voter disenfranchisement.
According to a Monday, May 25, Axios report by Alex Thompson and Holly Otterbein, “the New York congresswoman is making new moves toward a possible White House bid.”
The assessment is rooted in the de facto “national tour” that has brought Ocasio-Cortez to key states like Pennsylvania and Georgia, as well as her recent “meetings with Democratic Party powerbrokers.”
“Whether AOC jumps into the race is one of the biggest X factors in the 2028 Democratic primary,” the duo observed.
“Democratic operatives expect she would easily raise $100 million just from small-dollar donors, mobilize many supporters of Vermont Sen Bernie Sanders’ past campaigns, and command attention as few other candidates could,” they added.
AOC is reportedly eyeing Chuck Schumer's Senate seat
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is also reportedly considering a run for the Senate seat currently held by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, with polls consistently showing her as an early favorite in a potential Democratic primary matchup.
Axios reporters Alex Thompson and Holly Otterbein previously reported that Ocasio-Cortez has been hiring several veterans from Bernie Sanders's 2020 presidential campaign, which adopted a more progressive approach on social issues compared to his 2016 run.
A recent AtlasIntel poll found Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez leading a hypothetical 2028 Democratic primary field with 26% support. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg followed at 22.4%, ahead of Gavin Newsom at 21.2% and former Vice President Kamala Harris at 12.9%.
AOC asks New Yorkers to 'pull up to the south'
“I am here today because I want to make sure that we all understand that Montgomery is not alone, that you all are not alone,” Ocasio-Cortez told the crowd from behind bulletproof glass on May 16.
AOC: “It is time for the North to pull up to the South and let them know exactly what they have uncorked with this injustice. They think they can draw us out of power. They do not know the sleeping giant they just awakened. What they thought was the final blow is actually just… pic.twitter.com/kQvixR2Olv
— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) May 16, 2026
“And for all of you watching today, when they ask, 'What do you do in this moment? I feel helpless. What action can I take?' It is time for the North to pull up to the South! It is time for New York to pull up to Alabama,” she added.
“It is time for all of us to come to Georgia, to Louisiana, to Tennessee, to Mississippi, and let them know exactly what they have uncorked with this injustice,” she said.
AOC took on the Supreme Court’s April 29 ruling, where it gave Louisiana Republicans authority to redraw the state’s congressional map and eliminate a majority-Black district ahead of the November midterms. Roughly 15 other states are also involved in ongoing redistricting fights.
