Hasan Piker Chooses Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for 2028 Presidential Run

Far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker has openly endorsed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., as his favored candidate for the 2028 presidential race, over other notable Democrats. He suggests that AOC could invigorate the Democratic base and unite occasional voters to form a winning alliance.

During a Zeteo interview with Mehdi Hasan, Piker was asked to pick between Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. He decisively chose the New York congresswoman, saying, “AOC. It’s not even a question.” This selection concluded a quick comparison that started with figures such as California Governor Gavin Newsom and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The lineup also included former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif.

Piker emphasized that AOC stood out among the candidates presented. He acknowledged potential impediments regarding her race and gender, but dismissed claims that these would render her unelectable. Piker argued that Ocasio-Cortez could surmount these challenges with strong campaigning and by engaging voters who traditionally skip elections.

“As long as you have moral conviction, as long as you can excite the base, as long as you can actually create a unique coalition and activate low-propensity voters,” Piker stated. “Which I think AOC has the capacity to do, it would be a great left candidate.”

He compared her favorably with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., whose campaign had previously boosted democratic socialism within the party. “It would be a wonderful left candidate, even better than Bernie in many ways,” Piker said.

Piker also critiqued Ocasio-Cortez’s public persona, noting her effective use of social media and progressive stances in Congress. However, he pointed out that she might focus excessively on optics. “The way she carries herself, I think, is a bit too, like, optics-driven, too liberal and too optics-driven,” he explained. “I think she doesn’t harness the populist rage in the way that she communicates.”

Fox News Digital sought comments from Ocasio-Cortez but received no immediate response. Ocasio-Cortez has not declared a 2028 presidential bid. In May, she mentioned that she had not decided on a presidential run. Her national travel and endorsements, such as a recent Michigan appearance for Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, have increased.

CJ Womack, an associate editor at Fox News, highlighted the role of journalism in shaping politics and culture. His experience in news analysis and reporting underscores this narrative. CJ holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Journalism from Long Beach State University, completed in 2025. For news tips, you can contact [email protected] or follow CJ on Twitter.