Progressive activists are launching a nationwide campaign to draft Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez into the 2028 presidential race.
The organization Ready for AOC announced Monday that it hopes to recruit 10,000 community leaders and collect 1 million signatures supporting a potential White House bid. More than 500 local political and union leaders across 35 states have reportedly joined the effort.
“The goal is to build the infrastructure of a grass-roots movement in the case that she decides to run,” spokesman Ravi Sahai explained, adding that organizers want to demonstrate there is “a movement behind you ready to power you to victory should you choose to run for president.”
Ocasio-Cortez has not announced her plans for 2028, leaving open the possibility of challenging Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer or seeking the presidency.
However, she has ruled out one leadership position—House Speaker.
“I am not running for speaker,” she declared during a recent Instagram livestream. “It is not my ministry.”
The congresswoman explained that her political strengths lie in organizing rather than managing the internal responsibilities of congressional leadership.
“I am an organizer, and there are internal-facing jobs and responsibilities and leadership positions, and there are external-facing responsibilities and leadership positions,” she said.
Her remarks come as Democrats prepare to take control of Congress in January, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expected to be tapped for the speakership. Meanwhile, Republicans voted Tuesday night to shield Hegseth from impeachment over his handling of the war in Iran and other military operations.
The House voted 211-204 to send eight articles of impeachment to the Republican-led Judiciary Committee, effectively thwarting the effort. Rep. Thomas Massie, the Kentucky Republican who introduced the resolution, was the only GOP lawmaker to oppose the procedural move.
Massie’s allegations included conducting military operations without congressional authorization, unlawful strikes against suspected drug vessels and retaliation against Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly.
Hegseth denied the accusations.
“None of these are high crimes or misdemeanors,” he argued. “They’re partisan policy disagreements from people who want to politicize our military.”
The vote came as Ocasio-Cortez urged Democrats to use the approaching Dec. 11 government funding deadline to demand an end to the Iran war and protect Medicaid recipients from new work requirements.
“I do not believe that we should be voting for a clean CR and giving a blank check to the president just a few short weeks before a new Democratic Congress gets sworn in,” Ocasio-Cortez declared. “We need to use whatever negotiation and leverage we have to stop the war,” she added, going on to warn that millions could face losing Medicaid coverage under restrictions scheduled to begin Jan. 1.
“There’s a lot of mess we have to clean up, and I am in favor of taking as aggressive an approach as possible,” she said.
