New York City's Democratic Socialist darling Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has raised eyebrows with her answer when probed about her political ambitions last week.
Ocasio-Cortez on Ambition
While speaking at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics on Friday, Ocasio-Cortez was asked by legendary Obama strategist David Axelrod whether she planned to run for higher office in 2028.
'They assume that my ambition is positional,' Ocasio-Cortez replied, adding 'They assume that my ambition is a title or seat, and my ambition is way bigger than that. My ambition is to change this country.'
She then recounted a wishlist of socialist policies that she would like to see become reality across the United States.
'Presidents come and go. Senate [and] House seats, elected officials come and go, but single-payer healthcare is forever,' she noted, while attendees cheered, 'A living wage is forever. Workers' rights are forever. Women's rights. All of that.'
'When you aren't attached. When you haven't been like fantasizing about being this or that since the time you were seven years old, it is tremendously liberating,' the New York Democrat continued, adding, 'Because I get to wake up every day and say, 'How am I going to meet the moment?''
Speculation on 2028 Run
There is growing speculation that in 2028 Ocasio-Cortez may seek the White House. Another possibility is that she runs for the Senate if current Democratic minority leader Chuck Schumer decides not to go for another term or if she decides to face him in a primary.
In a March poll by Daily Mail and JL Partners, Ocasio-Cortez garnered the support of 7 percent of Democratic primary voters in a field of potential 2028 candidates.
Former Vice President and 2024 Democrat nominee Harris received support from 23 percent of likely Democratic primary voters, with 19 percent selecting California governor Gavin Newsom as their top choice.
The only other Democrat receiving double digits in the poll was former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and past 2020 White House hopeful, who has moved to Michigan but still does frequent cable news appearances.
Buttigieg registered 10 percent. Another 10 percent of Democratic voters said they were unsure.
Candidates are unlikely to start officially announcing 2028 runs for another year.
Ethics Complaint
Ocasio-Cortez also garnered attention earlier this spring when she was hit with an ethics complaint alleging she used campaign funds to pay for ketamine therapy.
The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), a conservative non-profit, has submitted a complaint claiming the New York Rep. spent more than $19,000 of the funds on sessions with psychiatrist Dr. Brian W. Boyle in 2025.
The complaint has been filed to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), as well as the Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC).
Four separate expenditures by Ocasio-Cortez's campaign sent to Dr Boyle were designated as 'leadership training and consulting,' per FEC records.
The complaint alleges that the funds were 'expended instead for personal psychiatric services provided to AOC or members of her campaign staff.'
'Accordingly, those expenses were also misreported by the campaign committee with the FEC,' the complaint stated.
