With her sights allegedly set on a future White House run, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, is reportedly seeking to shore up support among some of the party's left wing, amid criticism from activists and groups who say she has moved closer to the Democratic establishment in Washington.
According to an Axios report, Ocasio-Cortez has discussed the matter internally with advisers and believes the criticism she has faced is unfair and counterproductive to the progressive movement she supports.
A liberal strategist told Axios that Ocasio-Cortez has "lamented that the left was not there for her, that they are never pleased."
Since being elected to Congress in 2018, Ocasio-Cortez has emerged as one of the most prominent progressive voices in the House, and her rising profile has fueled speculation about potential runs for the U.S. Senate or the presidency in 2028.
An Axios report last year said Ocasio-Cortez and her team had also discussed the possibility of such campaigns, though she has not made any formal announcement.
If she were to pursue either a Senate or presidential bid, Ocasio-Cortez would likely need to consolidate support among skeptical factions within her own party.
Moderate Democratic strategists, including Third Way President Jon Cowan, have argued that politicians aligned with Ocasio-Cortez and other progressives have "flipped zero battleground House seats," suggesting risks for the party in elevating the far left.
In an effort to repair relationships with some factions of her party, Ocasio-Cortez has recently held discussions with the Democratic Socialists of America, whose members have criticized her past support for providing Israel with defensive weapons during the war in Gaza.
As noted by Axios, leaders of the DSA withdrew their endorsement of her last year, arguing she had conflated "anti-Zionism with antisemitism and condemned boycotting Zionist institutions," which they called a "deep betrayal."
Following that split, Ocasio-Cortez shifted her position during a recent DSA forum, where she said she would vote against any U.S. funding for Israel, including defensive weapons, City & State New York reported.
The New York City chapter of the DSA subsequently voted to endorse her for reelection, though more than 500 members voted against the decision. Axios reported that her focus on the group could signal greater interest in a future Senate bid rather than a presidential campaign.
Another factor that has shaped perceptions of Ocasio-Cortez is her limited involvement in endorsements for Democrats in this year's midterm elections.
Ocasio-Cortez has not endorsed a primary challenge against a sitting House member in years and previously suggested during her 2024 bid for House Oversight Committee ranking member that she was reconsidering the practice altogether.
"I've said this both to my colleagues here and across the board — you're never going to see me tell someone that they should never run," Ocasio-Cortez said at the time.
In an interview with Axios last month, she said she does not hand out endorsements lightly and that candidates must show a strong record and commitment to their stated positions.
"Anybody can put up a website and list policy commitments. We have to see: Is there a record on those commitments? What is the relationship to an on-the-ground field force? How material is the support?" she said.
Despite internal debate within the party, some progressive Democrats view the New York congresswoman as a potential successor to Sen. Bernie Sanders and his broader progressive movement.
Early polling for the 2028 Democratic presidential primary, cited by Axios, shows Ocasio-Cortez among the more supported potential candidates, a trend that has gained attention in recent months. That momentum has also been linked to her support for New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani in last year's election, which progressives viewed as a notable win for the left, Axios reported.
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