Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez officially rejoined the Democratic Socialists of America last month. While she’s long been the most famous associate of the left-wing group, her membership lapsed years ago. The congresswoman renewing her membership is a clear sign of the strategy she wishes to pursue ahead of a potential presidential bid.
Socialism has won Democratic primaries nationwide and will play a major role in the 2028 race. AOC is an opportunist. She knows that reaffirming her DSA credentials is a smart play for ‘28 and could give her the edge she needs to win. It also shows how much Democratic politics have moved closer to the DSA’s agenda. No longer do Democrats need to shy away from Israel criticism or calls to abolish ICE. They’re now within the mainstream of the party.
In spite of the close public association between AOC and the DSA, the two have a complicated relationship. The DSA rescinded its endorsement of AOC in 2024 over the congresswoman’s not being sufficiently supportive of the Palestinian cause. The New York lawmaker had participated in a panel that “conflated” antisemitism with anti-Zionism and voted for a House resolution that affirmed Israel’s right to exist. The DSA demanded that AOC, to regain its support, oppose all funding for Israel and support a boycott movement against the Mideast country. She failed to deliver, and thus lost the endorsement.
Although it was only two years ago, 2024 was a very different time. Back then, appearing too anti-Israel was a death sentence in Democratic primaries. Two of AOC’s fellow Squad members lost their primaries to AIPAC-funded opponents. A DSA endorsement didn’t help candidates much, if at all, in that election cycle.
Things changed. A number of AIPAC-backed candidates have lost to Israel critics in this year’s primaries, in spite of massive spending from the Israel lobby. In Michigan, pro-Israel groups spent $30 million on Haley Stevens in her battle with Abdul El-Sayed to become the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate race. Stevens lost. In California, the lobby spent $6 million supporting Melissa Hernandez against an Israel critic in a congressional race. Hernandez lost as well. These are just a few examples of AIPAC’s declining power in Democratic politics. The lobby is no longer guaranteed to squash Israel critics. It’s gotten so bad that even Republican Mike Rogers prefers AIPAC not give him explicit support in his battle against El-Sayed.
The DSA’s fortunes stand in stark contrast to AIPAC’s. An endorsement from the socialists is bound to give a boost to Democratic candidates, at least in primaries. Over a hundred DSA candidates have won their local, state, and federal primary contests nationwide. That includes 20 races for U.S. Congress.
A number of these DSA candidates espouse extreme views and problematic associations. A long list of candidates have been found to hate whites, America, the police, the free market system, and even Thanksgiving. These stances haven’t bothered Democratic primary voters that much. Some candidates lost their races after these comments came to light, but many didn’t.
One of the reasons why Democratic voters are willing to back the DSA is the group’s strong stance on Israel. Eighty percent of Democrats now have a negative view of Israel. The vast majority of primary voters in Michigan believe the Jewish state is committing a genocide in Gaza. Strong support for sanctions against Israel was found among primary voters in six states.
When given a choice between someone like Haley Stevens, who proclaimed that Israel comes to her in dreams, and a vocal Israel critic, it’s not surprising Democratic voters pick the one not fantasizing about Tel Aviv.
The strong shift against Israel among ordinary Democrats has made AOC more comfortable with the DSA’s stance. At an April DSA forum, the congresswoman pledged that she would vote against any military aid to Israel. She had previously supported “defensive” military aid to the country, but her new stance would exclude that as well. At the same event, she also promised to oppose enshrining an expansive definition of antisemitism, which included forms of anti-Zionism, into law. Her pledges won over many skeptical DSA members.
Israel isn’t the only issue on which Democratic voters have moved closer to the DSA agenda. Democrats now have a higher opinion of socialism than they do of capitalism. “Abolish ICE,” a position abandoned by the Democratic establishment in 2024, is now the majority position among rank-and-file Democrats, with 73 percent backing the idea.
These particular views may cause problems for Democrats among independents, but they’re assets in Democratic primaries. A DSA affiliation or endorsement is now a plus for aspiring candidates. That will likely still be the case in the 2028 presidential primary. There aren’t any other obvious DSA-aligned candidates to run in that lane besides AOC. Fully embracing the socialist party makes her stand out and gives her an advantage over her more “moderate” competition.
But Ocasio-Cortez’s membership renewal doesn’t guarantee her the support of the left-wing radicals. There is growing rancor within the DSA over supporting AOC’s possible ’28 bid, with many members still viewing her as a sellout who can’t be trusted. A summer meeting of the organization’s national committee voted for rules that would restrict local chapters from making their own endorsements, a move widely perceived as anti-AOC. The DSA’s Marxist-Leninist-Maoist Caucus explicitly opposes an AOC endorsement, calling her an “opportunist dilettante.”
While the DSA may face internal divides over an AOC presidential bid, the public will perceive her as the DSA candidate. It’s doubtful there will be any other Democratic presidential candidate who is more supportive of socialism, abolishing ICE, and the Palestinian cause. Those voters who’ve helped DSA candidates win primaries nationwide will most likely see AOC as their choice in the ’28 primary.
The Maoists are right that Ocasio-Cortez has shown a consistent pattern of opportunism. But that’s true of most politicians, especially the successful ones. What’s notable is that her opportunism has now led her back to the DSA. Now that the group’s agenda is popular with the Democratic base, AOC knows it’s to her benefit to openly proclaim herself a member.
In an extremely competitive and crowded field with few DSA-aligned candidates, that association may be the ticket for an AOC primary victory in 2028.
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