Swing-state Democrats tell AOC to stay away from midterm campaign trail: Report

WASHINGTON, DC: Democratic candidates in several competitive races are reportedly distancing themselves from Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) ahead of the upcoming November midterm elections, with some reportedly asking her campaign team to stay away, according to a report by Axios.

The report claims that candidates and party officials in swing states are concerned about Ocasio-Cortez's political standing and her potential impact on closely contested races. The shift comes after several Democrats previously welcomed the progressive lawmaker on the campaign trail, and as the Democratic Party continues to get heat for turning too progressive. 

Senior strategist calls Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 'a lightning rod'

Among the candidates cited in the report is Sam Forstag, a Democratic House candidate in Montana who campaigned alongside Ocasio-Cortez in May after she traveled to the state to support his primary bid. Forstag has since indicated that he does not expect to have many out-of-state political figures campaigning with him during the final weeks of the general election.

"I don't intend to be having a lot of folks from out of state campaigning with me over these next 40 days," Forstag told the outlet when asked whether Ocasio-Cortez would return to campaign for him.

Forstag has also removed Ocasio-Cortez's endorsement from his campaign website. Axios also reported that the Democratic officials in other closely contested races have explicitly asked Ocasio-Cortez's team not to campaign for their candidates.

A senior Democratic strategist, cited by the outlet, working in a key swing district raised concerns over her polling and political profile. "The polling is atrocious for her," the strategist said. "She's a lightning rod."

The congresswoman's chief of staff, Mike Casca, did not provide details about her campaign schedule but indicated that additional appearances could take place before Election Day. "Call us on Nov 3," Casca said.

Ocasio-Cortez continues to endorse and campaign for Democratic candidates. She has backed Senate candidates including Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and Angie Nixon in Florida. El-Sayed's campaign said it would welcome Ocasio-Cortez back to Michigan in the coming weeks. 

"There are a lot of Michiganders who can't wait to have AOC back in town," a campaign spokesperson told the outlet.

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Ocasio-Cortez also campaigned with Rep Josh Riley in Ithaca, New York, earlier this week. Riley's district is viewed as less competitive this cycle after the National Republican Congressional Committee's counterpart, the Congressional Leadership Fund, withdrew $4.8 million in advertising reservations from the race, according to the report.

In New York's 17th Congressional District, Democratic nominee Cait Conley has said that she would not campaign with Ocasio-Cortez. Republican Rep Mike Lawler, who is seeking reelection, has attempted to link Conley to Ocasio-Cortez in the race. The district is among the competitive House contests Democrats are targeting as they seek to regain control of the chamber.

Ocasio-Cortez rejected the effectiveness of Republican efforts to use her as a campaign issue against Democrats, telling the outlet that she welcomed additional Republican spending on such attacks.

"I invite them to spend even more money … because they're just setting it on fire," Ocasio-Cortez said, arguing that Republicans have used similar attacks against her since she entered Congress in 2018. "I would rather them do this than something that's actually potentially effective," she added.