Democratic socialists erupt over 2028 endorsement as AOC speculation grows: ‘Dangerous path’
Infighting has erupted within the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) over the U.S. presidential election as the group’s influence on the national stage continues to grow and speculation swirls that it will preside over the House of Representatives in 2028. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezDY
The infighting reveals fissures in the nearly 120,000-member group that has emerged as America’s leading socialist group. This divide also sheds light on how some Democratic Socialists of America members believe the group can gain a permanent foothold in American politics and realize its socialist ideals on a national scale.
Some Democratic Socialist leaders of America are pushing for an earlier presidential confirmation, rather than the group’s normal practice of choosing confirmation at its biennial national convention scheduled for the summer of 2027.
A group known as the “Baseline Work” group is pushing strongly for the group to conduct a national survey of members and “endorse AOC on day one.” The group believes early approval would help DSA take a more influential early role in 2028 presidential politics and “build power for” socialism”
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In an online petition, DSA members stated: “If we don’t have a member survey, we members will be left out of DSA’s most fundamental way of creating a democratic strategy.”
However, in a vote on Sunday 14-13, DSA’s National Political Committee (NPC) rejected a proposal to allow the group’s participation. 2028 presidential confirmation According to Canary Mission, the decision will be made through a nationwide survey of all members. The committee rejected the proposal, leaving the matter to the DSA’s current congressional process; That means any national ratification decision will likely wait until the organization’s next convention in August 2027.
The decision was criticized online by many DSA members.
Gustavo Gordillo, co-president of the group’s New York City chapter, posted on
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., sparked rumors that she was considering running for president after posting a campaign-style video on social media.
Gordillo added that the committee “robbed our members of their right to vote,” while NYC-DSA, the group’s largest chapter, “sends them about $2 million a year in dues.”
Similarly, J. Ryder, founding editor of a journal on communism, wrote that the committee’s “decision to prevent a poll of members’ will on presidential confirmation is seriously disappointing.”
Ryder added that “this will inevitably put the DSA on the back foot in 2028”: “Waiting for approval at the convention in August next year could mean more than 6 months of vital AOC campaign time during which the masses will mobilize without DSA intervention.”
“The worst part is that members want to act, they see the opportunity this moment represents for socialism and they desperately want to grasp it.” he added. “The fact that some sectarians in the NPC suppressed even a non-binding poll shows that they know this and are afraid of the consequences of member democracy and mass politics in the DSA.”
In response, committee member Amy Wilhelm fired back at Gordillo, telling X, “NYC members deserve co-chairs who don’t lie.”
Wilhelm said he “never intended” to prevent DSA members from participating in chapter surveys and that “with the decision we left today, chapters are allowed to conduct the survey according to their own standard methods.”
Similarly, another X user who goes by the name “tylerisposting” lashed out at Gordillo, telling him to “stop lying” and “stop trying to incite division” in an X post.
Meanwhile, Massachusetts DSA member Eve Seitchik called the day’s events “a major escalation of factional tensions” and added: “I’m afraid DSA has gone down a dangerous path.”
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The authors note that DSA won the last election and that Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie SandersI-Vt., the “Fighting the Oligarchy” tour “demonstrated that there is energy throughout the country to support a bold, democratic socialist presidential campaign.”
They argued that “DSA must be prepared to position ourselves as the political home of the millions of people who will be inspired by AOC’s message and to position our organization as the vital core of AOC’s campaign.”
They wrote that Ocasio-Cortez was “on the verge of running for and potentially winning the presidency of the United States” and that “this opportunity has been years in the making.”
“If we are dragging our feet, we are forcing ourselves to take a backseat and missing the opportunity to strike while the iron is hot.” they wrote.
The four-term congressman has not directly said whether he will run for president in 2028. There are also rumors that he would prefer to run for Senate ouster instead. Minority Leader Chuck SchumerDY
While Ocasio-Cortez is considered one of the most prominent socialists in the country and a close ally of Sanders, she has clashed with DSA leadership on multiple occasions.
In the summer of 2025, the group issued a statement condemning Ocasio-Cortez’s vote against the amendment blocking additional funding for Israel’s “Iron Dome”; this would prevent Israel from receiving an additional $500 million in US funding for its leading missile defense system. In 2024, DSA withdrew its support for Ocasio-Cortez’s re-election, arguing that she had not met her conditions, including opposing all funding to Israel and openly supporting boycotts and sanctions against the country.
The New York City chapter of the DSA has remained prominent in its support for Ocasio-Cortez.
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Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speak to a full auditorium as part of their “Fighting the Oligarchy” tour on April 14, 2025 in Nampa, Idaho. According to the event’s organizers, 12,500 people attended the rally.
Commenting on DSA’s deliberations, a spokesperson for Canary Mission told Fox News Digital that “the AOC presidency will give this movement more than influence: it will give its agenda access to the full authority of the executive branch.”
The spokesman added: “There would be no political progress in placing this power in the hands of a movement that has repeatedly placed ideological allegiance above America’s national interests, viewed America and its allies as a problem, and sympathized with its enemies. It poses a profound national security risk and could be devastating to the country.”
“DSA presents its agenda as a reconstruction project, but much of its politics begins with dismantling the institutions, alliances, and economic system that sustained these successes,” the spokesperson said. “For more than a decade, the Canary Mission has documented numerous examples where anti-Zionist activism has turned into antisemitic harassment, support for extremism, and hostility against the United States and its democratic allies.”
“As these ideas moved from activist circles into mainstream politics, the DSA emerged as the primary vehicle through which radical ideology was translated into political success,” the spokesperson said.
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Canary Mission keeps the names of its representatives secret for security reasons.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s office and the DSA for comment.
Original article source: Democratic socialists boom in 2028 support as AOC speculation grows: ‘Dangerous path’
