Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her political team are laying the groundwork for a potential 2028 bid for either the White House or the U.S. Senate, according to individuals familiar with her operation. The strategic positioning comes as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, 74, faces reelection in 2028.
A Senate primary between Schumer and Ocasio-Cortez, 35, would mark a high-profile contest between one of the Democratic Party’s longest-serving leaders and one of its most nationally visible progressive figures.
Ocasio-Cortez has not formally announced plans for 2028. However, her political team has taken steps that expand her national reach and preserve multiple options for the next election cycle.
Over the past year, she has campaigned beyond her Bronx and Queens congressional district, holding events in Upstate New York and across the country. During a town hall in Plattsburgh, she emphasized statewide engagement.
“Plattsburgh, we are here because every town, every city, every neighborhood in this state matters. Every corner matters. No one deserves to be ignored,” she said.
Her office declined to comment on her future plans. A spokesperson for Schumer did not respond to requests for comment.
Ocasio-Cortez has also joined Sen. Bernie Sanders on a national “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, where she appeared before large crowds that frequently chanted her name. Some of Sanders’ former senior advisers have joined her operation, bolstering her national infrastructure and campaign capabilities.
Allies say her political footprint gives her the ability to quickly mount a statewide or presidential campaign. Ari Rabin-Havt, a longtime Sanders aide, told Axios that Ocasio-Cortez’s supporter base could raise substantial funds in a primary contest.
“She has a supporter base that, in many ways, has a larger potential width than Bernie’s,” Rabin-Havt said. “It would be the height of arrogance to assume she couldn’t win the 2028 nomination.”
Ocasio-Cortez has experienced one of the fastest rises in modern Democratic politics since unseating longtime incumbent Joe Crowley in a 2018 primary. She has championed Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, and the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Her national profile has grown alongside an expansive digital operation.
According to data cited by media analyst Kyle Tharp, her team has spent millions on digital advertising and supporter list acquisition in 2025. Across platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, X, and Facebook, she has amassed approximately 36.7 million followers, surpassing many potential Democratic presidential contenders and significantly outpacing Schumer’s online following.
While Ocasio-Cortez builds a national political apparatus, she is also facing scrutiny over campaign expenditures.
Federal Election Commission filings show her campaign paid $18,725 in 2025 to Boston-based psychiatrist Dr. Brian Boyle for services listed as “leadership training and consulting.” The payments were made in three installments: $11,550 in March, $2,800 in May, and $4,375 in October.
Boyle is chief psychiatric officer at Stella, a mental health clinic that promotes alternative therapies, including ketamine treatments for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. He has described himself as an “interventional psychiatrist” specializing in treatment-resistant cases.
The nature of the services provided to the campaign has not been publicly detailed. Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign did not respond to inquiries regarding the expenditures.
Paul Kamenar, counsel to the National Legal and Policy Center, questioned whether campaign funds were properly used.
“While she describes these expenses as ‘leadership training,’ Dr. Boyle has no expertise in that area, unlike several Democratic campaign consultants,” Kamenar said. “This looks like yet another example of misuse of campaign contributions.”
Ocasio-Cortez has previously spoken publicly about her mental health and therapy, including after the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. She has also advocated for expanded federal research into psychedelic therapies. In 2019, she introduced an amendment to permit federal funding for research into psilocybin and other substances for mental health treatment. The measure initially failed but similar language was later incorporated into legislation signed into law in 2023.
The combination of expanded national travel, increased digital investment, staffing additions, and fundraising infrastructure suggests that Ocasio-Cortez’s political team is actively preparing for 2028 scenarios.
Whether she ultimately challenges Schumer in a Democratic primary or seeks the presidency remains undecided. What is clear is that her political operation is scaling to compete at a statewide or national level, positioning her as a central figure in the Democratic Party’s next generation of leadership.