A progressive group has launched an effort to persuade Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) to jump into the 2028 presidential race.
The group, called Ready for AOC, is gathering signatures to encourage the congresswoman to run and aims to build a grassroots volunteer army to power her run if she gets in.
“It’s clear this is the kind of person who can really move millions of working-class Americans to get involved in the project and ultimately defeat Donald Trump and fascism in the White House,” said Ravi Sahai, one of the group’s leaders.
Sahai, a former deputy field director for New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s (D) mayoral campaign, said the group aims to train 10,000 field leaders and garner 1 million signatures on its petition.
“It’s building the infrastructure in case she does run, but it’s also demonstrating to her that there is a movement behind her should she choose to run,” Sahai said.
The New York Times first reported on the new effort.
The congresswoman, who first won office in 2018 by unseating a Democratic incumbent on a message of change, has not ruled out a run for either Senate or the presidency in 2028. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York), 75, faces reelection in 2028 and has not said if he would run again.
“They assume that my ambition is a title or a seat. And my ambition is way bigger than that. My ambition is to change this country,” she said in May at a University of Chicago event.
Ocasio-Cortez, a democratic socialist, is seen as an heir to the movement built by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), and the pair appeared together at “Fighting Oligarchy” rallies that began in early 2025, when the Democratic base was seeking stronger leadership from Washington. At just 37, the congresswoman has garnered a massive online following and become one of the House’s most skilled fundraisers.
In a memo sent to allies last week, Ocasio-Cortez’s team touted her influence in the Democratic wave in the midterms, saying she had moved more than $3 million to Democrats and has “built a record of success that extends beyond her own electoral victories.” The memo asked supporters to fend off questions about Ocasio-Cortez’s future by saying she planned to “look for ways to do the most good for the most people.”
Other efforts to push the congresswoman into the race also have popped up in recent months. Another Ocasio-Cortez fan has launched a separate petition drafting her into the race, which shares the same “Ready for AOC” language.
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