Ocasio-Cortez leads Schumer 55% to 36% among likely Democratic voters

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez declined to rule out a 2028 Democratic primary challenge to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, telling the New York Times she would “cross that bridge when I get to it” if Democrats retake the chamber.

In the interview, Ocasio-Cortez was asked whether she would challenge Schumer, whose Senate term is up in 2028, even if Democrats win back the majority. The 36-year-old New York congresswoman did not exclude the possibility.

“We’re working hard to have that problem,” Ocasio-Cortez said of a Democratic Senate majority, calling such an outcome “the best possible problem we could have as a country.” She added: “And I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.”

Ocasio-Cortez emphasized that any decision she makes would be personal, saying: “I don’t think that my decisions would come down to deference.”

Ocasio-Cortez has been repeatedly cited as a potential challenger to Schumer, 75, and as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate. She has built a significant profile since defeating a top incumbent Democrat to win her House seat representing an area of New York City in 2018.

Her standing among Democratic primary voters has drawn attention. A survey conducted earlier this year by the liberal firm Data for Progress found that 55% of likely Democratic voters said they would support or lean toward supporting Ocasio-Cortez, compared with 36% who said they would back Schumer.

Ocasio-Cortez has also built a substantial fundraising operation. She has raised more than $32 million since 2025, and Federal Election Commission filings showed she had more than $15 million in cash on hand as of June 2026.

Her progressive positions have resonated with younger Democrats, women and Hispanic voters, according to recent New York Times/Siena University polling. She has become a leading figure in rallying voters opposed to President Donald Trump.

Ocasio-Cortez is also polarizing, with roughly 41% of likely voters and 75% of Republicans finding her unfavorable. That combination has made her an easy target for Republican attacks, particularly from the US president, according to the Guardian’s report.

Asked about her political future, Ocasio-Cortez acknowledged the challenges she would face as a candidate. “I’m not naïve to the fact that we are living under a very regressive administration, and I happen to be a woman, and I, you know, happen to be Latina,” she told the Times. “And I think that there’s a lot of conversation about electability, and I don’t kind of shy away from those realities.”

The Guardian wrote that “taking on Schumer could be Ocasio-Cortez’s first step to fulfilling greater political ambitions.” Her non-commitment suggests she is keeping open her options as the party looks toward the 2028 cycle, including potential paths through a Senate primary challenge or a presidential run. Schumer’s current Senate term is up in 2028.