Conservative political commentator
Meghan McCain predicted on Thursday that Representative
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , a New York Democrat, will run for president in 2028, writing in a social media post that the congresswoman's economic message is "more powerful than people are giving her credit for." McCain, whose father
John McCain was the
Republican nominee for president in 2008, cast doubt on a potential 2028 presidential run by former Transportation Secretary
Pete Buttigieg due to his low polling among Black Americans.
Newsweek h as reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's and McCain's press teams via email on Friday.
Why It Matters
Ocasio-Cortez has emerged as a prominent figure within the
Democratic Party , particularly among progressive circles. Her nationwide "Fighting Oligarchy" tour with independent Vermont Senator
Bernie Sanders has drawn substantial crowds across red and blue states, including
36,000 attendees in Los Angeles . Early polling indicates she is among the top contenders for the Democratic nomination in 2028, though some within the party express concerns about her nationwide appeal. McCain's comments reflect murmurings among conservatives regarding Ocasio-Cortez's potential candidacy. In November, former Treasury Department official Monica Crowley, who served in President
Donald Trump 's first administration, warned Republicans not to underestimate the congresswoman,
stating , "She's young, she's vibrant, she's attractive," and former House Speaker
Kevin McCarthy , a California Republican, also indicated he believes she may run. Pollster
Nate Silver recently signaled Ocasio-Cortez's as the likely leader of the Democratic ticket in 2028. In November, Trump secured a
presidential election victory over then-Vice President
Kamala Harris , receiving 312 electoral votes to his Democratic rival's 226 and also winning the popular vote for the first time. The
Republican Party also flipped the
Senate and held onto a House majority. The scale of Trump's triumph has sparked widespread soul-searching within the Democratic Party over what went wrong and how to rebuild. Democratic leaders have come under criticism from within the party, highlighting
divisions among Democrats .
What To Know
On Thursday, McCain reshared a video on X, formerly
Twitter , from Ocasio-Cortez's campaign page, Team AOC, with clips of the representative speaking at recent mass rallies alongside Sanders. Accompanying the video, McCain wrote: "She's going to run and her message of economic populism is more powerful than people are giving her credit for."
Ocasio-Cortez, a fourth-term congresswoman , has become one of the most recognizable faces of her party since defeating 20-year Democratic lawmaker Joe Crowley in 2019. She's become synonymous with progressive ideals and policies, such as the "Green New Deal," that have been maligned by
Republicans over the years. Hours later, McCain shared another X post regarding Buttigieg's potential run, writing, "He polls at 0% with black voters...," indicating his unlikeliness to perform well in a national election. Recent polls suggest a competitive field for the 2028 Democratic nomination. A Quantus Insights poll of 1,000 registered voters from April 21 to 23 found Harris is leading the primary field with 30 percent, followed by Ocasio-Cortez at 14 percent, Buttigieg at 13 percent, Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey at 13 percent, and Sanders at 6 percent. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. An
Echelon Insights poll of 457 likely voters conducted from March 10 to 13 showed Harris leading with 33 percent, followed by Buttigieg at 10 percent, and Ocasio-Cortez and California Governor
Gavin Newsom tied at 7 percent. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. Buttigieg's decision not to run for Michigan's Senate seat has fueled speculation about a future presidential bid. In a Substack post last month, he wrote, "While my own plans don't include running for office in 2026, I am intensely focused on consolidating, communicating, and supporting this kind of vision." Some conservatives have expressed their distaste with a potential Ocasio-Cortez run, such as conservative host
Tomi Lahren , who replied to McCain's X post, writing, "She's dumb as a rock. She makes Kamala look like Albert Einstein." McCain responded on Friday morning: "So was [former President Joe] Biden...Dumb people get elected president."
What People Are Saying
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at a Las Vegas rally in March: "This isn't just about Republicans. We need a Democratic Party that fights harder for us, too. But what that means is that we as a community must choose and vote for Democrats and elected officials who know how to stand up for the working class."
Denver resident Mary Ann Bennett, who attended Ocasio-Cortez's Denver rally with Senator Bernie Sanders, previously told Newsweek : "The Democratic Party has not been taking strong actions for the working class. Bernie and AOC acknowledged this, which is step one, and then laid out their plans for action which were met with strong cheers from the 30,000 people who showed up. Those moments were when I felt the most empowered and ready to fight for my neighbors."
Denny Salas, former Washington, D.C., consultant and field organizer during former President Barack Obama 's first term, told Newsweek earlier this week: "There's always room for loudmouths with no serious plans to improve the everyday lives of working-class Americans. AOC is currently running the same exact and tired playbook of 'Trump-Hate' some
Democrats have been running since 2016. It may win an election here and there, but it is unserious."
What Happens Next?
Official announcements for the 2028 Democratic primary are not expected until closer to the election and will serve as a time to potentially rebrand the Democratic Party which had huge losses across 2024 elections. Ocasio-Cortez's current terms ends on January 3, 2027. She has not indicated whether a presidential run is in her future.
