Ocasio-Cortez Makes Announcement About Her Future
Progressive New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stirred speculation this week during a high-energy rally in Los Angeles, sharing the stage with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and delivering pointed remarks about the current state of American politics.
Speaking at Gloria Molina Grand Park, Ocasio-Cortez passionately called out the “oligarchy in America” and sharply criticized former President Donald Trump’s administration.
“Los Angeles, I’ve made my choice. We must fight the oligarchy that has created this nightmare. That is why I have never taken money from lobbyists or corporations, and it’s why I never will,” she declared to an enthusiastic crowd.
She went on to accuse Trump of manipulating financial markets for personal gain: “It was about hurting retirees and everyday people in the [stock] selloff so Trump could quietly enrich his friends who he nudged to buy [in] the dip before reversing it all the next morning.”
Sanders echoed her sentiments, warning of a system where “a handful of billionaires control the economic and political life of our country.” He added, “Mr. Trump, we ain’t going there!” while claiming that their grassroots movement would make both Trump and his tech billionaire ally Elon Musk “very nervous.”
Meanwhile, new polling data suggests Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer could be facing a serious challenge from within his own party. According to a survey conducted by Data for Progress, Ocasio-Cortez leads Schumer by 19 points in a hypothetical 2028 Democratic Senate primary.
Between March 26 and 31, 767 likely Democratic primary voters in New York were asked whom they’d back if the two faced off. The results showed 55% in favor of Ocasio-Cortez, while only 36% sided with Schumer.
The survey also revealed that Schumer currently holds the highest disapproval rating among prominent Democratic figures tested, whereas Ocasio-Cortez was among the most favorably viewed—only trailing Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, and Elizabeth Warren.
Schumer’s support has taken a hit amid criticism for backing a bipartisan spending deal negotiated with Trump. This move angered many progressives who feel that “Washington Democrats aren’t doing enough to stand up to Trump and the MAGA movement”—a sentiment shared by a whopping 84% of respondents.
Ocasio-Cortez is showing strength across virtually every key demographic. She holds a commanding 50-point lead among voters under 45 and leads by 8 points among those 45 and older. She outperforms Schumer among white, Black, and Latino voters and across both gender and education lines. Schumer's only edge appears to come from self-identified moderates.
When voters were shown summaries of each candidate's background, her favorability rose from +59 to +69. Schumer’s also improved—from +26 to +47—but not enough to change the race’s trajectory.
Attempts to cast Ocasio-Cortez as “a polarizing, attention-seeking figure” swayed only 14% of voters. By contrast, criticism portraying Schumer as a long-serving politician “too intertwined with corporate interests” and “too willing to align with MAGA Republicans” resonated with 33% as “very concerning.”
Despite his seniority and influence, many Democratic voters appear to be looking ahead, viewing Ocasio-Cortez as a leader better suited for the future.
While Ocasio-Cortez has not announced a Senate run, this poll suggests she would be a formidable contender if she did.
“This poll really does show that Democrats are united in just wanting to stand up, wanting to fight, wanting to see someone taking a stand for them,” said Danielle Deiseroth, executive director of Data for Progress.
Deiseroth noted that her group has a history of pushing back against establishment Democrats, citing a 2021 poll that spotlighted Kyrsten Sinema’s vulnerability before the Arizona senator left the Democratic Party and declined to run for reelection.
Veteran political analyst Mark Halperin commented last week that a 2028 challenge from Ocasio-Cortez could be decisive. “If she ran against him, I know exactly what she would say to try to beat him,” he said. “It’s very hard for me to imagine how Schumer could come back because the way to try to beat her would be to go negative on her — ‘she’s inexperienced, she’s too left-wing.’ It seems to me that all that would backfire.”
“And so I think if she runs against him, he has to quit the race because I don’t think he can defend himself against her,” Halperin concluded.