Group launches petition urging Ocasio-Cortez to consider 2028 presidential run
A progressive group hoping to see Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez run for president in 2028 has started a nationwide signature drive asking her to enter the race.
Ready For AOC, which calls itself a grassroots, people-powered and independent organization, launched the campaign Monday. Its website says early, visible support can help build momentum before a potential candidate decides whether to run. The campaign is focused on collecting names rather than donations.
The site listed 804 signatures Tuesday morning. Organizers say they hope to recruit 10,000 community leaders, and the group says it has support from 500 political and union leaders in 35 states, according to the New York Times.
“The goal is to build the infrastructure of a grassroots movement in case she decides to run,” group spokesman Ravi Sahai told the Times. He said organizers also want to show Ocasio-Cortez that a movement is ready to support her campaign if she chooses to seek the presidency.
Ocasio-Cortez has been cautious when asked about a possible run, though she has not ruled one out. In July, she said she had not seriously considered anything beyond the midterm elections.
That election brought gains for Democrats, including candidates affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America and other progressive groups. The results have encouraged some democratic socialists to argue that the country may be ready for a president from the far left.
At an election-night gathering in Queens, Gustavo Gordillo, co-chair of New York City’s DSA, said democratic socialists had long been portrayed as a political liability. He pointed to the election of a democratic socialist in a Republican-held seat in Tampa as evidence that such candidates could win in places like Texas and Florida, City & State New York reported.
Gordillo also said the DSA would consider whether to formally support an Ocasio-Cortez presidential bid at its New York City convention on Nov. 14.
Even as speculation about 2028 grows, Ocasio-Cortez has urged Democrats to focus on governing rather than the next campaign. Speaking to reporters Monday, she said voters wanted to hear what elected officials would do with the results of the election, not about another race.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, one of the DSA’s most prominent political successes, recently told NBC that he believes the United States is ready for a socialist president. He said the election showed that people in cities across the country share many of the same concerns as New Yorkers.
Mamdani campaigned alongside Ocasio-Cortez during his 2025 mayoral bid but has not publicly named a preferred candidate for 2028. He has reportedly met with labor and union leaders about organizing a progressive coalition for the election.
A July poll by New Hampshire Granite State placed Ocasio-Cortez at the front of the field for the Democratic nomination. A more recent survey by Atlas Insights showed her tied with Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia.
Other Democrats being discussed as potential presidential candidates include former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Rep. Ro Khanna of California.
