By Tom Howell Jr. (The Washington Times)
A new memo from the camp of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is promoting her as an effective surrogate with a national reach, sparking buzz around the New York Democrat as the political world digests the seismic midterms and eyes the 2028 presidential contest.
The memo, issued by the Ocasio-Cortez campaign committee, points to her effective fundraising efforts for candidates such as Abdul El-Sayed, who surged to a Senate victory in Michigan as part of a Democratic midterm rout on Tuesday.
“The congresswoman has emerged as one of the most powerful endorsements in the United States and New York State specifically,” says the memo, dated Nov. 3. “Candidates from rural districts and battleground seats see her as an asset for their general election campaigns.”
The document points to Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s large winning margin in her New York district and, more importantly, her national impact in mobilizing Latino voters.
The memo is an early sign that Democrats, fresh off midterm wins, are jockeying over their 2028 prospects.
Democrats will try to take back the White House after Mr. Trump’s second term and his decade as the undisputed GOP leader and top political force in America.
Critics of Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, a congresswoman since 2019, say she is too liberal for a nationwide race and would alienate independents and centrists. Others say she is not ready to handle foreign policy.
The internal memo says Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s political future remains uncertain, but she will be a force in some way.
“In the coming days and weeks, much will be discussed about the future of the Democratic Party and 2028,” the memo says. “You may be asked whether you support her running for President or for Senate in New York or staying in the House of Representatives. We’d recommend you rely on the details of this memo and answer that Rep. Ocasio-Cortez will continue to do what she’s always done: look for ways to do the most good for the most people.”
If she decides to run, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez would be among possible Democratic contenders, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and many others.
On the Republican side, Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are viewed as leading 2028 contenders, if they decide to run.
This article was made available to WMAL via The Washington Times.
