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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been noticeably absent from the campaign trail, and now several swing-state candidates have decided they would rather not have the progressive firebrand campaigning alongside them.
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firebrand → sign → them
The unusual distance comes as Democrats fight to win competitive House and Senate seats this fall, and as Ocasio-Cortez's potential ambitions for the 2028 presidential seat increasingly come into focus.
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ambitions → come → focus
Ocasio-Cortez hinted strongly in an interview with the New York Times last week that she'll run for president in 2028.
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she → hint → 2028
But her absence in swing states could be a challenge for AOC’s presidential ambitions, as a national campaign would require her to broaden her appeal beyond her existing base.
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campaign → require → base
She'll be forced to win over voters in key battleground states, where her progressive record and positions could face more scrutiny from swing voters.
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record → force → voters
And some candidates who welcomed her during Democratic primaries have taken a different approach now as they face Republican opponents.
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they → welcome → opponents
In Montana, progressive House candidate Sam Forstag rallied with Ocasio-Cortez in May before winning his primary.
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Forstag → rally → primary
But when asked whether she would campaign with him during the general election, Forstag told Axios he didn't intend to have many people from outside Montana campaigning with him.
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people → ask → him
In Montana, progressive House candidate Sam Forstag rallied with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in May before winning his primary.
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Forstag → rally → primary
His campaign has since removed Ocasio-Cortez's endorsement from its website
AOC campaigned with controversial Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan in July
Ocasio-Cortez has thrown her support behind at least 10 candidates during the midterm campaign, endorsing a roster that includes Angie Nixon, Ed Markey, and Abdul El-Sayed, to name a few
His campaign has also removed Ocasio-Cortez's endorsement from its website.
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campaign → remove → website
Party officials told Axios that other Democrats in competitive races have explicitly asked her team to stay away.
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Democrats → tell → team
One senior Democratic strategist described Ocasio-Cortez as a 'lightning rod' and claimed polling for her was poor.
The shift highlights a problem facing Democrats who embraced Ocasio-Cortez during their primaries.
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who → describe → primaries
Her national profile may generate attention, fundraising, and enthusiasm among progressive voters, but once candidates enter general-election contests, some appear concerned that Republicans could use her record and reputation against them.
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Republicans → generate → them
That's already happening in New York's 17th Congressional District.
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That → happen → District
Democratic candidate Cait Conley has said she would not campaign with Ocasio-Cortez.
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she → say → Cortez
However, Republican Representative Mike Lawler, running for reelection against Conley in a tight race, has attempted to tie the two together.
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Lawler → run → two
Ocasio-Cortez campaigned alongside Florida state Representative and US Senate candidate Angie Nixon.
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Cortez → campaign → Nixon
Nixon joins a broader progressive push ahead of the midterm elections
Ocasio-Cortez's national profile may generate attention, fundraising, and enthusiasm among progressive voters, but once candidates enter general-election contests, some appear concerned that Republicans could use her record and reputation against them
Former Vice President Kamala Harris hit the campaign trail for the first time this election season last week, joining Michigan Democratic US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed
The Republican super PAC Congressional Leadership Fund has also run an advertisement calling Conley 'AOC's choice for Congress.'
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PAC → join → Congress
Ocasio-Cortez dismissed the attacks, arguing Republicans have been trying to use her against Democrats since she first entered Congress in 2018.
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she → dismiss → 2018
Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed heavily featured Ocasio-Cortez during his Democratic primary campaign.
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Sayed → feature → campaign
His allies spent nearly $1 million on television advertisements featuring her, according to AdImpact.
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allies → spend → AdImpact
Since winning the nomination, however, El-Sayed has largely stopped featuring her in advertising while facing Republican attacks over his progressive record.
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Sayed → win → record
His campaign says it would still welcome Ocasio-Cortez back to Michigan.
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it → say → Michigan
Ocasio-Cortez has thrown her support behind at least 10 candidates during the midterm campaign, endorsing a roster that includes Angie Nixon, Ed Markey, Abdul El-Sayed, Chris Rabb, Analilia Mejia, Justin Pearson, Randy Villegas, Adam Hamawy, Sam Forstag and Junaid Ahmed.
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that → throw → Nixon
She's also campaigned for Florida Senate nominee Angie Nixon and supported Virginia House candidate Tom Perriello through fundraising.
And this week she campaigned with Representative Josh Riley in Ithaca.
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she → campaign → Ithaca
Riley's race, however, has become less competitive, with the national Republican House super PAC pulling $4.8 million in advertising reservations from the district.
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PAC → become → district
CNN reported in June that Ocasio-Cortez's aides were preparing a fall schedule designed to test her appeal beyond her progressive base.
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aides → report → base
So far, that broader campaign test has been limited.
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test → limit → ?
Even former Vice President Kamala Harris has received invitations from some battleground campaigns.
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Harris → receive → campaigns
Harris joined El-Sayed last week in Michigan, which was the first time she was seen on the campaign trail.
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she → join → trail
She's set to campaign in Nevada with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Aaron Ford, before heading to Georgia, where she'll join Senator Jon Ossoff and speak at a Democratic fundraiser in Fulton County on October 3.
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she → set → October
Harris is leading the early Democratic field for 2028, according to the latest Echelon Insights poll, conducted September 17–21.
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Harris → lead → poll
Harris registered 24 percent among Democratic voters, followed by California Governor Gavin Newsom at 14 percent and Pete Buttigieg at 10 percent.
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Harris → register → percent
Ocasio-Cortez and Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff each received 8 percent, while Arizona Senator Mark Kelly stood at 7 percent.
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Kelly → receive → percent
The Aporia
