Progressive Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ro Khanna of California are flexing their political muscle on this 12 months’s midterm elections, and the candidates they’ve chosen to again reveal the very totally different political methods every is constructing towards a potential run for greater workplace.
Their endorsements may plot a profitable midterm technique for Democrats and strengthen relationships throughout totally different factions. Additionally they could be considered as an indication of flexing their political energy — all however one of many six Home candidates Ocasio-Cortez endorsed superior of their primaries.
Past being considered as presidential contenders, Khanna and Ocasio-Cortez are intently watched figures on the left, however their endorsement methods differ noticeably.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., takes half within the Nationwide Puerto Rican Day Parade on June 14, 2026, in New York.
Adam Grey/AP Picture
Ocasio-Cortez, probably the most recognizable Democrats within the nation, has endorsed sparingly. Khanna has accomplished the alternative, backing greater than 30 candidates in a bid to construct his personal nationwide profile.
Faiz Shakir, a chief adviser to unbiased Sen. Bernie Sanders, stated that each Khanna and Ocasio-Cortez search for candidates who differentiate themselves with an agenda centered on the working class, however Ocasio-Cortez tends to endorse later, as soon as a candidate has constructed grassroots momentum of their district.
“AOC … has usually been wanting to return in later within the course of in some unspecified time in the future when she appears like a candidate has accomplished the work and constructed one thing that’s producing success on the bottom,” Shakir stated.
Ocasio-Cortez, who could also be eyeing a Home management position or Senate bid, has stayed out of key New York Metropolis-area Home races, in contrast to Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Sanders, who’re backing insurgents making an attempt to oust incumbents. However she has endorsed major challengers to sitting state legislators, in comparison with Mamdani, who declined to endorse in a few of these races.
“It is a sense of a method round how she desires to take care of the management of the Home and the preferences of [House Minority Leader Hakeem] Jeffries and so many different leaders inside that physique with whom she is making an attempt to domesticate some help … that is anyone who I feel is on the cusp of doubtless incomes a better place inside management,” Shakir stated.
Ocasio-Cortez’s group didn’t reply to a request for touch upon her endorsement technique.
Khanna shared his considering behind his endorsement technique with ABC Information.
“I needed to assist voices that had been making an attempt to interrupt in, and I basically imagine this occasion wants a brand new technology of voices,” Khanna stated. I imply, [the Democratic Party] allowed for Donald Trump to win twice. That is the definition of failure.”
Jeff Weaver, Sanders’ 2016 marketing campaign supervisor and now an adviser to Khanna, informed ABC Information that Khanna focuses on two objectives: backing like-minded candidates and strengthening Democratic opposition to Trump.
“He is additionally trying to construct a Democratic energy to assist stem the advance of Trump and Trump’s far-right, excessive agenda,” Weaver stated.
Khanna’s endorsements mirror this technique, spanning the Democratic spectrum and together with Senate candidates similar to Josh Turek, Roy Cooper, Graham Platner and Abdul El-Sayed.
“It helps [Khanna] construct relationships and bridges throughout the assorted wings of the occasion, which is once more necessary,” Weaver stated later within the interview.
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., speaks to a crowd with Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., left, and Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear at Clyburn’s annual “World Well-known Fish Fry” at Edventure Kids’s Museum on Could 29, 2026, in Columbia, South Carolina.
Sean Rayford/Getty Photos
Khanna mentioned his help for Platner, which he described as one in all his extra controversial endorsements and which got here earlier than The New York Instances revealed studies alleging that Platner had despatched sexually specific textual content messages to a number of ladies and that some former girlfriends discovered his habits “intimidating and disturbing.” Khanna stated he informed Platner his actions had been “poisonous” and “mistaken”, however stated he “accepted accountability.”
Requested whether or not he believes his endorsement of Platner will harm him sooner or later, Khanna stated he would not assume a single endorsement will make or break him.
“I endorsed him due to his clear stance on genocide, clear stance towards overseas wars, a navy veteran prepared to talk out towards warfare,” Khanna stated.
Ocasio-Cortez, in the meantime, has been extra explicit within the races she’s weighed in on, however has seen the candidates she’s endorsed beat institution Democrats in aggressive primaries throughout the nation.
That was the case for Dr. Adam Hamawy, who gained a crowded Democratic major for New Jersey’s twelfth Congressional District, and informed ABC Information he was in talks with Ocasio-Cortez’s group for months, giving updates on his marketing campaign’s progress as “she would not endorse very simply.”
“Her endorsement was actually useful as a result of it made folks concentrate,” Hamawy stated. “When AOC is available in and endorses, she’s actually validating that the candidate has the help on the bottom … that they’ve accomplished their homework and actually stand for the values that she additionally values.”
Saikat Chakrabarti, Ocasio-Cortez’s former chief of workers who unsuccessfully ran to interchange Nancy Pelosi in California, constantly referenced his expertise working for her throughout his marketing campaign, however did not safe her endorsement.
Chakrabarti informed ABC Information that, whereas campaigning, voters cited his lack of her endorsement as a purpose to not belief him.
“The turning level within the race actually was AOC selecting to not endorse, and I do not blame her for that in any respect … sadly our opponents actually used that to color me as not credible and never reliable,” Chakrabarti stated.
