Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) responded after Vice President JD Vance said he believes she would be the Democratic Party’s leading presidential candidate in 2028, fueling fresh speculation about her political future.
JD Vance: ‘It’s got to be AOC’
Speaking on The Michael Knowles Show, Vance was asked who he believed would emerge as the Democratic nominee in the 2028 presidential election.
“I think it’s got to be AOC,” Vance said. “I know that’s probably conventional wisdom.”
Vance, who is widely viewed as a potential Republican presidential contender in 2028, did not elaborate further on why he believed Ocasio-Cortez would lead the Democratic field.
AOC responds: ‘I hope he is the nominee, too’
Asked about Vance’s remarks, Ocasio-Cortez responded with a brief but pointed remark.
“I hope he is the nominee, too,” she told reporters.
Her response appeared to suggest she would welcome a potential electoral matchup with Vance if both were to secure their parties’ nominations.
AOC has not ruled out higher office
The exchange comes amid growing speculation over whether the 36-year-old New York congresswoman could seek higher office in 2028.
In an interview in May, Ocasio-Cortez declined to rule out a future run for either the White House or the U.S. Senate, instead emphasizing that her priorities extend beyond holding elected office.
“They assume that my ambition is a title or a seat,” she said. “And my ambition is way bigger than that. My ambition is to change this country.”
She added: “Presidents come and go. Senate, House seats, elected officials come and go. But single-payer healthcare is forever, a living wage is forever, workers’ rights are forever, women’s rights, all of that.”
2028 speculation grows
While neither Vance nor Ocasio-Cortez has announced plans to run for president in 2028, both are increasingly viewed as influential figures within their respective parties, making them frequent subjects of early presidential speculation.
