Ocasio-Cortez to weigh 2028 run after midterms

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she will wait until after the 2026 midterm elections to decide whether to pursue a 2028 presidential campaign, a run for the Senate or neither. She has not announced a choice, and her recent appearances in upstate New York have fueled speculation about a possible challenge to Sen. Chuck Schumer, though her team described at least one stop as voter-mobilization work. In a recent interview, Ocasio-Cortez said every option remained under consideration. She also said a presidential campaign would carry the risk of leaving her House seat and not returning to elected office if she lost. She said she was not opposed to that possibility, but the risk would have to be worthwhile. The New York Democrat visited Buffalo, met with Mayor Sean Ryan and appeared publicly as part of an effort her team linked to turning out voters. Her team said Erie County had about 5,000 inactive registered Democrats. A political analyst offered a different interpretation, speculating that the trip could build support for a potential Senate campaign or goodwill among county Democrats who could attend the 2028 party convention.