‘I hope, he is’: JD Vance said he expects Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to lead the 2028 Democratic field. She responded by turning the question on him

Vice President JD Vance made a prediction about who will lead the Democratic ticket in the 2028 presidential race. He shared his view during an interview on The Michael Knowles Show, which was released on Tuesday.

Vance said he believes Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will be the one to lead the Democratic Party. “I think it’s got to be AOC. I know that’s probably conventional wisdom,” he said. According to Huffpost, reporters asked Ocasio-Cortez about Vance’s comments outside the Capitol on the same day. 

When asked how she would respond to being named the likely Democratic frontrunner, she smiled and said, “I mean, you know, I hope he (Vance) is.” A reporter followed up to ask if she meant she hoped he would be the Republican nominee, and she confirmed it, saying, “Yeah.” 

Vance says the party’s direction depends on whether Wall Street or universities hold more influence

The exchange came just days after Vance returned home from Iran nuclear talks without reaching an agreement. Ocasio-Cortez has been named by many as a possible 2028 candidate, but she has not announced any plans to run for president. According to polling averages compiled by 270ToWin, she currently sits in fourth place. 

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, Governor Newsom, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg are all ahead of her in these averages. Harris, the 2024 Democratic nominee, currently leads the group, though none of these figures have officially entered a 2028 campaign.

Since he is the current Vice-President, Vance is seen as a likely candidate on the Republican side for 2028. Trump has said he has considered whether Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio could be his successor. Vance has recently drawn attention for his comments on the Pope over war, another moment that has kept him in the political spotlight.

However, there have been reports that Rubio is currently ahead in the race. According to The Hill, the final deal with Iran can have a major effect on deciding the GOP presidential ticket for 2028. A favorable final agreement would be a major win for Vance, who is leading the peace talks. But he must also consider the other side of the coin.

GOP lawmakers warn that the deal could become a major political burden for Vance if it allows Iran to charge tolls on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, generate billions in oil revenue, keep accumulating weapons-grade nuclear material, and continue backing militant proxies across the Middle East.

According to a new poll, Ocasio-Cortez has an early edge over Vance in a potential 2028 presidential race. The Public Sentiment Institute poll found Ocasio-Cortez ahead of Vance, 48.4% to 39.6%, with 12% of likely voters undecided. Newsom outpolled Vance by a 50.8%-38.9% margin, while Harris led him 49.4% to 38.3%. In those matchups, 10.3% and 12.3% of voters, respectively, were undecided.