Representative Mike Lawler, a New York Republican, described progressive Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, as the new “leader” of her party on Friday, saying she has “tapped into” what the base wants.
Newsweek has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s office via email for comment on Saturday.
Why It Matters
The Democratic Party has struggled since its 2024 election defeat to successfully respond to President Donald Trump and Republicans. However, Ocasio-Cortez has emerged as one of the most prominent Democrats pushing back on the current administration.
The New York Democrat has been traveling around the country with progressive Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, as part of his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour. The rallies consistently draw thousands of attendees, including in red districts and states.
Many political analysts have started touting Ocasio-Cortez as a strong contender for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination. Separately, some party activists have urged her to primary Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York in 2028 instead.
What to Know
Lawler appeared as a panelist on HBO‘s Real Time With Bill Maher on Friday. In the show’s “Overtime” segment, the New York Republican said Ocasio-Cortez would easily defeat Schumer in a primary challenge.
“AOC will absolutely kick his a** in a primary,” Lawler said, noting that the New York senator has held elected office for 50 years. He went on to describe the congresswoman as the “leader of the Democratic Party in this moment.”
He predicted that she will “continue to be the biggest driver of where the party goes from a governmental policy standpoint, and that drives many of my colleagues crazy.”
“The fact is, she has tapped into the base of support within the Democratic Party, and you see the juxtaposition between her and Chuck Schumer,” he said.
Democrats’ Criticism of Chuck Schumer
Schumer’s support for moving forward with a Republican Trump-backed stopgap funding bill in mid-March drew widespread Democratic criticism, including from his longtime ally, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California.
The top Senate Democrat’s support for the bill moving forward, in which he was joined by nine other members of the chamber’s Democratic Caucus, prevented a government shutdown, but was seen by many in his party as a betrayal. Democrats saw the pending shutdown as a point of leverage against Trump and Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress.
Schumer said at the time that his support would prevent worse damage to the federal government from Trump and billionaire Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) adviser Elon Musk. Schumer said a shutdown would allow them to ramp up their efforts to make cuts across federal agencies.
Will AOC Run in 2028?
Some recent polls have shown Ocasio-Cortez in second place for the Democratic Party’s 2028 presidential nomination after former Vice President Kamala Harris, the party’s unsuccessful 2024 contender. A survey by Quantus Insights carried out among 1,000 registered voters from April 21 to 23 showed Harris with 30 percent support and Ocasio-Cortez in second place at 14 percent.
The New York Democrat was asked about her 2028 plans by Fox News last month. She responded by saying her current focus is not about politics.
“This moment isn’t about campaigns, or elections, or about politics. It’s about making sure people are protected, and we’ve got people that are getting locked up for exercising their First Amendment rights. We’re getting 2-year-olds that are getting deported into cells in Honduras. We’re getting people that are about to get kicked off of Medicaid. That, to me, is most important,” she said.
What People Are Saying
Democratic operative Charlotte Clymer to Newsweek in March about the party’s failure to pushback on Trump: “This is not a problem of our party; it’s a problem of our party leadership. There is so much outstanding potential in the Democratic Party. What we need is fresh leadership.”
Patricia Crouse, political scientist in residence at the University of New Haven, to Newsweek last month: “I think people see her [AOC] as the face of the Democratic Party right now because she seems to be the only one (along with Sanders) willing to stand up for the party and stand against Trump… But many within the party, both members and voters, view her as too progressive or even extreme left.”
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the Latino USA podcast in February: “I have a weird relationship with the Democratic Party. I don’t believe in a two-party system, but I also understand the Democratic Party is a coalition and if we want the party to change, the balance of the coalition has to change. But right now, you open the hood on the Democratic Party, what you have is, I think, a bit of a power struggle over the last couple of years.”
Monica Crowley, a former official in the Treasury Department during the first Trump administration, told Fox News last November: “Just a word of warning to the Republicans, to my party: Do not underestimate AOC. She’s young, she’s vibrant, she’s attractive.”
What Happens Next?
Speculation about Ocasio-Cortez’s 2028 plans will likely continue, especially if she continues to draw large crowds at rallies. The “Fighting Oligarchy” tour does not currently have any upcoming scheduled events but is expected to announce more in the coming months.
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