As the 2028 presidential election begins to take shape, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is emerging as a possible candidate. According to Axios, the New York congresswoman is taking “steps” toward a potential White House bid, and the signs are becoming harder to ignore.
Ocasio-Cortez has been visiting key battleground states like Pennsylvania and Georgia, drawing serious attention from Democratic operatives. “Whether AOC jumps into the race is one of the biggest X factors in the 2028 Democratic primary,” wrote Axios‘s Alex Thompson and Holly Otterbein.
A recent AtlasIntel survey found her leading a hypothetical 2028 Democratic primary field at 26%. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg came in second at 22.4%, while California Governor Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris trailed at 21.2% and 12.9%, respectively. These numbers suggest that, even before officially entering the race, she already holds a meaningful lead over some well-known and experienced rivals.
AOC’s state tours and behind-the-scenes meetings point to a serious presidential ambition
Her visits to Pennsylvania and Georgia are widely seen as a way of testing the waters ahead of a possible run. Both states are critical battlegrounds in presidential elections, and showing up there signals that she is thinking beyond her New York base. Engaging with local voters in these states gives her a chance to build early relationships and measure grassroots enthusiasm before making any formal announcement.
On top of her state tours, Ocasio-Cortez has also been holding private meetings with Democratic operatives and strategists, people who have played key roles in shaping the party’s direction. These meetings are being read as a strong sign that she is seriously weighing her options.
Interestingly, when pressed on whether she plans to run for president or pursue a Senate seat, she dismissed both possibilities in a single answer, leaving her future plans deliberately open. She also rallied voting-rights activists outside the Alabama Capitol in Montgomery, alongside Sens. Raphael Warnock and Cory Booker. None of them represent Alabama, which makes the trip all the more telling in terms of political signaling.
Black voters have historically been a decisive force in picking the Democratic nominee, and candidates who perform well with this group tend to have a significant advantage in the primary. Ocasio-Cortez’s presence at such events shows she is actively working to build bridges with communities that will matter enormously in 2028.
According to NBC News, her strong ties to the progressive wing of the party, along with her outspoken public presence, have built her a loyal base on the left. If she enters the 2028 primary, she is expected to pull in a large share of progressive voters and could challenge more established candidates right from the start.
However, not everyone on the left is fully on board. One liberal commentator recently said she knows many leftists who would pick Tucker Carlson over AOC in a presidential race, highlighting the divisions that still exist within the progressive camp. Ocasio-Cortez is also reportedly weighing a primary run against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for his New York Senate seat.
Polls have suggested she would enter that race as the frontrunner, which adds another layer of complexity to her decision-making. Running for Senate would keep her in elected office and potentially position her for a later presidential run, while jumping straight into the 2028 presidential race would be a much bigger and riskier move. When Axios asked her about her 2028 presidential plans, she declined to comment, but her actions tell a different story.
Published: May 26, 2026 10:45 am