According to a new report from Axios, some progressive operatives are quietly encouraging Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) to consider a run for president in 2028. The idea circulating among allies is simple: if Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) built the modern progressive movement inside the Democratic Party, then Ocasio-Cortez could be the next figure to carry that torch onto the national stage.
Behind the scenes, supporters believe the young New York congresswoman could quickly become one of the most recognizable and well-funded candidates in a crowded Democratic primary. Strategists told Axios that a presidential bid could propel Ocasio-Cortez into the top tier of contenders almost immediately, potentially placing her in the top five in early polling while raising more than $100 million in campaign funds.
The progressive wing of the Democratic Party sees what it believes is a rare political moment.
“There’s a window of opportunity for a left-wing nominee that may not come again for a generation,” Axios reported, pointing to recent democratic socialist and progressive victories in places like New York City and other local races across the country. According to that analysis, those wins suggest the political landscape may be shifting enough to give a hard-left presidential candidate a viable path in the coming years.
Even if a presidential run didn’t ultimately succeed, some strategists argue the campaign could still significantly elevate Ocasio-Cortez’s national profile while amplifying the progressive issues she champions, including universal health care.
There is also another potential political calculation at play. Some insiders believe a presidential campaign could position Ocasio-Cortez for a future run for the U.S. Senate in New York, particularly if Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer eventually retires—or if she decides to challenge him in a primary.
“I think she’ll plan to run for both and end up a senator,” one strategist reportedly told Axios.
Progressive veterans appear to see Ocasio-Cortez as the natural successor to Sanders’ political lane. Ari Rabin-Havt, who served as a deputy campaign manager for Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, argued that she has already secured that status.
“She has earned her place as the top dog,” Rabin-Havt said, adding that if Ocasio-Cortez launches a presidential bid, she would instantly dominate the progressive lane of the primary race.
“If she does run, she obviously becomes the biggest star and sucks up the oxygen in that lane,” he explained.
For now, however, Ocasio-Cortez has shown no public signs that she intends to run for president in 2028. Other prominent progressives are also positioning themselves as potential heirs to Sanders’ movement.
Among them is Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), who has quietly built a national profile and strong connections with the progressive grassroots.
“You have to give Ro credit: He’s worked his ass off to put himself in this position and has done what’s most comparable to Bernie pre-Bernie 2016,” Rabin-Havt noted.
Another name occasionally floated as a possible progressive successor is Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), though the emerging battle for the future of the left wing of the Democratic Party appears far from settled.
What is becoming clear, however, is that the post-Bernie era of progressive politics is beginning to take shape—and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may be right at the center of it.
