“Squad” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hauled in $4.5 million final quarter — her weakest displaying this 12 months and fewer than half of the record-breaking haul she raked in in the course of the first quarter that sparked rumors of a presidential run.
The self-proclaimed “Bronx lady” isn’t laborious up for cash — she wrapped up the quarter with $11.8 million in money available, new Federal Election Fee filings present. That’s cash that could possibly be funneled right into a Senate and even White Home marketing campaign, as per FEC guidelines.
The socialist darling was confirmed final month to be weighing each choices for 2028, and her die-hard followers are already rolling out “AOC for President 2028” bumper stickers.
Her fundraising for the 12 months totals $21 million.
Regardless that her battle chest is the most important within the Home — after a staggering $9.6 million in first quarter filings — the Squad chief nonetheless has an extended option to go to make a play for Senate, insiders stated.
“If you wish to run a contested Senate race, it’s $100 million,” stated marketing campaign finance professional Brett Kappel of Harmon Curran. “And New York can be extra.”
And her option to deal with small donations will finally restrict the quantity she will fundraise for a better workplace, consultants famous.
Her fundamental challenger for a Senate run, Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, in the meantime posted his worst fundraising quarter in years — bringing in simply $133,460 within the final three months to finish with $8.6 million in money available.
“Chuck Schumer ought to be fearful — AOC’s not simply coming for him, she’s already constructing the battle chest to do it,” stated Kiersten Pels, nationwide press secretary for the Republican Nationwide Committee.
The longtime Democratic pol has not but introduced whether or not he plans to run for reelection, solely saying he’s specializing in the midterms.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), who himself raised $2.8 million final quarter, referred to as AOC’s fundraising totals “a formidable quantity.”
“Twenty a million is some huge cash,” stated Steve Caplan, political promoting professional on the College of Southern California. “On the identical time, now we have $1 million an individual dinners, which in a single evening would eclipse that,” he stated referring to a Friday dinner at Mar-a-Lago elevating cash for the MAGA PAC.
The worth tag for a presidential run is estimated to be within the billions.
However Caplan thinks AOC’s fame — and social media prowess — might imply that she doesn’t need to go greenback for greenback in opposition to an opponent.
“She simply has benefits due to her identify recognition that make her formidable even in a marketing campaign the place she can be outspent theoretically,” he stated.
Ocasio-Cortez has already doled out thousands and thousands this 12 months on rising her social media presence and acquiring an inventory of doable donors outdoors her Queens-Bronx congressional district.
She “spent over $500,000 on fundraising adverts final week, making her the highest-spending political advertiser on Fb & IG nationwide” stated Kyle Tharp on X, writer of the Chaotic Period e-newsletter, which carefully tracks on-line political spending.
The Put up beforehand reported that as an alternative of spending huge in her personal yard, AOC blew $3.6 million on Fb and Instagram adverts that hardly focused New Yorkers — throughout a three-month span this 12 months. And a jaw-dropping 72% of donations got here from effectively past the Empire State, a Put up evaluation of marketing campaign expenditures discovered.
The lefty lawmaker additionally held a collection of current city halls in upstate New York, courting potential voters throughout the state — whereas her constituents lamented to The Put up that they felt uncared for.
“We’re right here as a result of each city, each metropolis, each neighborhood on this state issues,” she instructed a crowd at a Plattsburg city corridor this summer time.
Ocasio-Cortez’ marketing campaign didn’t return The Put up’s request for remark.
