Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has achieved a perfect streak of primary victories over the past month, boosting her status as a political kingmaker ahead of a potential 2028 presidential run. Her highly selective endorsement strategy has sparked a growing debate among progressive factions over whether she is playing it too safe compared to her mentor, Senator Bernie Sanders.

Endorsement Strategy

Ocasio-Cortez has focused her backing on a smaller, heavily vetted group of contenders, delivering victories in California, Pennsylvania, Montana, and New Jersey. However, some progressive critics argue she is being overly cautious by avoiding races where insurgents challenge sitting Democratic House colleagues.

According to a source familiar with her endorsement process, Ocasio-Cortez heavily vets candidates on their local field operations, community ties, and realistic path to victory. This was evident in Philadelphia, where she rallied for state Representative Chris Rabb, who went on to win his competitive primary by double digits.

Impact of Endorsements

Rabb noted the weight of her support, saying, “I don’t think I won because of AOC, but AOC got me a lot of traction, got me a lot of new supporters, got me new attention on the race because she helped nationalize the race by getting involved.” Conversely, her decision to withhold an endorsement can carry significant consequences, as seen in the case of her former chief of staff, Saikat Chakrabarti, who recently lost a congressional bid in San Francisco.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.