The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) Liberation Caucus is pushing back on New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as a possible 2028 presidential candidate due to her events involving Jewish organizations.
“Liberation condemns Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s continued retreat from socialist politics and rejects any effort to present her as the future presidential standard-bearer for DSA, or for the broader socialist movement. AOC’s record demonstrates a consistent pattern of opportunism,” the Liberation Caucus said in a statement. “In 2024, DSA’s National Political Committee withdrew its conditional endorsement, after NYC-DSA’s steering committee sent a request to that body requesting such. The NPC also determined that AOC erred in sponsoring/hosting a public panel with leaders from the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, a Zionist organization which conflates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism. She also voted in favor of H.Res 888 (defending Israel’s right to exist) and co-signed a statement supporting strengthening the Iron Dome.”
The group went on to criticize her inability to support “anti-Zionism” and her lack of opposition for Israeli military funding.
“AOC has publicly distanced herself from DSA’s democratically adopted program on national television, where she claimed that she belongs specifically to NYC-DSA, rather than national DSA. NYC-DSA is a chapter of DSA, subject to the national organization and its concentrated will, expressed in its highest form by our national convention, held every two years,” the caucus declared. “If AOC disagrees with our national program, she has the same political right as every other member to struggle within the organization to change it.”
The DSA began pulling its support of AOC in 2024. “Because we have not seen evidence of AOC meeting these conditions, and at the request of the NYC-DSA SC, the NPC is withdrawing our conditional endorsement of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, although she will remain endorsed by our New York City chapter,” the group said at the time.
