Politics'Young People Are Going to Come Out in Droves': Inside the Growing Presidential Push to Catapult Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to the White House
Sept. 18 2026, Published 3:48 p.m. ET
Speculation is growing about an imminent presidential run by New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has refused to rule out a future bid.
Longtime Democratic donor Robert Wolf compares her potential campaign to former President Barack Obama's 2008 run.
Early polling and a massive social media presence give AOC considerable advantages within younger demographics.
Democratic donor Robert Wolf thinks the youth will be eager to support AOC.
“If she raises her hand … the number of volunteers will be nothing as we’ve seen since 2007,” Wolf told The Hill’s “Fight for 2028” series. “The young people are going to come out in droves, and I think it would literally change the field overnight."
He noted that her decision will dictate the entire dynamic of the primary, remarking, "If she doesn't run, then it's going to be a totally different race.”
'Her Stock Is Going to Keep Rising'
The donor praised the politician's 'very sharp political and policy skills.'
“AOC has been really interesting to watch the last few months,” Wolf admitted. “I find myself interested in seeing what she says and does.”
Other Democrats are paying attention to her, too.
“I think she has continued to show over the past few years that she has very sharp political and policy skills, and every month more people are realizing what they thought about her was partially a caricature,” said Democratic strategist Eddie Vale. “And when you combine that with her generational talent for communicating in a way and on platforms that most Democrats still struggle with, her stock is definitely going to keep rising.”
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AOC Is Highly Disliked by Republicans
AOC has not confirmed or denied if she will run for president.
Despite the buzz, the 36-year-old Bronx, N.Y., native remains one of the most polarizing figures in modern American politics, a reality both her backers and opponents acknowledge as central to any potential national campaign.
Her strong progressive stances have turned her into a primary target for conservative media and Republican campaigns for years, resulting in high, deeply baked-in unfavorable ratings among moderates and independents nationwide. Recently, however, she has backed down from some of those stances.
AOC was leading other prospective Democratic candidates in a poll.
Critics and moderate Democrats worry that her association with democratic socialism and far-left policies (like the Green New Deal) would be a liability in swing states, making it difficult to win a general election.
In a prominent University of New Hampshire Granite State Poll, Ocasio-Cortez led the prospective Democratic field with 22 percent support, narrowly edging out Pete Buttigieg (21 percent) and placing well ahead of figures such as Kamala Harris (5 percent) and Gavin Newsom (8 percent). Much of her strength came from a flood among self-described progressives and socialists.
“There’s a lot of speculation right now about what I’ll decide to do in 2028,” AOC acknowledged. “I get asked about it in nearly every interview and at every event. In some ways, I understand the interest.”
