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Even as the primary race heats up, influential Democrat and New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is withholding her support for contests in her own backyard.
“It looks like they’ve built a strong coalition,” Ocasio-Cortez said. Independent, But said “I have not endorsed” the race.
It’s a sign of Ocasio-Cortez’s maturation from a progressive insurgent who won an improbable victory against a member of the House Democratic leadership in 2018 to becoming a major power broker.
In New York’s 10th District, outgoing Comptroller Brad Lander is challenging incumbent Democrat Dan Goldman. In the 15th District, Michael Blake is running against Representative Richie Torres. Both Goldman and Torres have been criticized Progressive Democrats support Israel amid Gaza warLander has been a longtime ally of Ocasio-Cortez, During the primaries for the New York City mayoral race, which uses ranked choice voting, he placed Lander third behind City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and his main choice, zaran mamdani winner contest,
Nevertheless, Ocasio-Cortez has stopped short of making any endorsements for the 2026 and upcoming midterm elections.
“We’re in a cycle of very high Democratic voter enthusiasm, and I think we’re seeing it in some of our particular election results,” Ocasio-Cortez explained. Independent,
Ocasio-Cortez has become a popular voice in the Democratic Party. During California’s Proposition 50, which once allowed redistricting, he cut an ad in English and Spanish. Additionally, after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer voted to keep the government open in March, many Democrats pressured him to challenge Schumer in 2028.
Polling shows that he is often considered among the top four Democrat voters considering a presidential run.
Still, Ocasio-Cortez and her team have remained quiet about any lofty ambitions. Despite not being selected to serve as the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, she recently joined the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which allows her to shape policy on climate change and health care, two of her key policy priorities.
Ocasio-Cortez came to Congress in 2018 under similar circumstances to those facing 2026, and Democrats have caught on to a wave of voter anger. In 2018, he challenged House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley and won an upset victory for his district in the Bronx and Queens.
In the wake of that victory, she will endorse primary challengers to incumbent Democrats, such as Cori Bush against incumbent Representative William Lacy Clay in Missouri’s 1st District and Jamal Bowman of New York against incumbent Representative Eliot Engel.
He Also endorsed Jessica Cisneros in Texas’s 28th District In 2020 and 2022 against Representative Henry Cuellar, a conservative Democrat who opposes abortion. But when Trump pardoned Cuellar earlier this month under federal indictment, he had no comment. Independent asked.
AOC’s vision for the 2026 midterms differs from that of another major Democratic player, New York City Mayor-elect Mamdani. He has already endorsed Lander in his New York race.
“I really don’t have any ideas,” Goldman said. Independent,
Goldman, however, halted its endorsement of Mamdani after she won the Democratic primary earlier this year. Elected mayor defended from Islamophobic attacks From the Republicans.
“I feel good about the work I’m doing and that’s where I’m focused,” Goldman said.
Goldman and Torres are not the only Democrats facing primary challenges in New York. Representative Adriano Espaillat also faces Daríliza Avila Chevalier. Espaillat endorsed former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the primary, but endorsed Mamdani after the primary.
The chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus said he welcomes the primary challenge.
“I think, I’ve always thought that it was a mistake for anyone elected—any elected—to try to avoid a primary,” he explained. Independent“Every two years we have to face our voters, and they have to sign our contract, and they have to say, yes, you can continue to represent us or you can’t,”
But not every incumbent Democrat in New York faces a viable challenge. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries faced a potentially tough battle against City Council Member Chi Ossey, but Ossey ultimately backed out.
Jeffries said he would support the incumbent Democrat.
“I stand in support of every one of my colleagues in New York City and beyond,” he said. Independent,