New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sidestepped questions about a potential run for higher office in 2028, stating her ambition is to change the country rather than seek a title. Speaking at a University of Chicago Institute of Politics forum on Friday, she was asked by Democratic strategist David Axelrod whether she planned to run for president or challenge Senate leader Chuck Schumer.
“What’s funny is they assume my ambition is a title or a seat,” Ocasio-Cortez replied. “My ambition is to change this country. Presidents come and go. Senate, House seats, elected officials come and go. But single-payer healthcare is forever.” She also highlighted her support for a living wage, workers’ rights, and women’s rights, adding that not being attached to a specific position is “tremendously liberating.”
The congresswoman emphasised that she makes decisions based on how to change the country, not on personal ambition. “I get to wake up every day and say, ‘How am I going to meet the moment?’” she said. “I make decisions by waking up in the morning, looking out the window and observing the conditions of this country.”
Her remarks come as early jockeying for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination intensifies. A Harvard CAPS/Harris poll from April showed Ocasio-Cortez tied at 9% with former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, behind former Vice-President Kamala Harris (24%) and California Governor Gavin Newsom (12%).
Earlier this week, Ocasio-Cortez appeared on a podcast with comedian Ilana Glazer, where she criticised entrenched economic and social inequalities, arguing that “you can’t earn a billion dollars” under the current US system.
