New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is hustling to win over left-wing critics who say the progressive leader cares too much about mainstream approval and is too cozy with senior Democrats.
Between the lines: If Ocasio-Cortez’s diplomacy is successful, it could be more difficult for any potential 2028 presidential candidate to run to her left — but moderate Democrats argue it also could make it tougher for her to win a general election.
Despite her recent efforts, some loud voices on the left — including people who have worked closely with her — have gotten under her skin by continuing to question her progressive bona fides.
Zoom in: In recent weeks, Ocasio-Cortez has tried to repair her relationship with Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Many members of the group opposed her support for giving Israel defensive weapons, including the Iron Dome missile system, during the war in Gaza — which she has called a “genocide.”
In July 2024, national DSA leaders withdrew their endorsement of her for the elections that year, arguing that she’d conflated “anti-Zionism with antisemitism and condemned boycotting Zionist institutions,” which the group considered a “deep betrayal.”
The intrigue: AOC also has had a fraught relationship with some progressives who helped launch her political career.
Her first chief of staff, Saikat Chakrabarti, co-founded Justice Democrats, a group that helped Ocasio-Cortez with her insurgent House campaign in 2018. Chakrabarti is running for Congress in former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s district in San Francisco, but Ocasio-Cortez pointedly hasn’t endorsed him in the June 2 primary.
She’s indicated she believes that some of her early allies on the left have taken too much credit for her upset House victory eight years ago, and she’s distanced herself from them over the years, people familiar with the dynamic told Axios.
Tale as old as time.
Progressive voters view progressive politicians as unreliable because they regularly abandon principles in favor of victory.
Progressive politicians view progressive voters as unreliable because they regularly abandon victory in favor of principles.
Everyone on the left who doesn’t like AOC is a moron or a piece of shit that doesn’t want rich people to pay more in taxes.
moderate Democrats
Nobody with a brain should care about what moderate democrats want.
Can’t speak for everyone, but personally I can’t support pro-capitalists or imperialists generally, same with Zionists. Agreed on your assessment on the moderate democrats.
I love AOC, but i dont think she should run for president in her first eligible election. I dont think the country will be ready for her yet. That said, she’d still have my vote.
She should run in the primary, if only to pull the discourse more to the left. I wouldn’t expect her to win the nomination, but if she can pull the party further left, that’s a win.
Maybe… im a bit weary of the idea because I dont want her to use a bunch of momentum up on a bid that doesnt go anywhere. Id like to see her be senator for 6-12 years first
There’s literally no better option and it isn’t even close, unless there are some comparatively progressive candidates we’re not hearing about.
Sure, idiots and scumbags aren’t “ready for it” yet, but we shouldn’t adjust our goals because shitty/stupid people might get in the way of achieving them. We should be fighting back harder.
Fuck every AIPAC backed candidate regardless of party.
Fuck Pritzker
Vote against every politician who takes money from the Israel lobby. Even if it is a vote against your preferred party
