The New York City Democratic Socialists of America formally endorsed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for reelection on Wednesday night, strengthening its relationship with its most famous member as she lays the groundwork for a possible 2028 presidential campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201cNYC-DSA was there at Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez\u2019s side when she was first elected in 2018, and we\u2019ll have her back as she continues to lead the growing working class movement fighting back against Trump\u2019s fascist agenda,\u201d NYC-DSA Co-Chair Gustavo Gordillo said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The decision to reendorse Ocasio-Cortez followed an online vote of NYC-DSA members \u2013 in which more than 3,078 people voted in favor of endorsement and just 512 voted against \u2013 and a virtual candidate forum<\/a> that made international news.<\/p>\n Prior to the forum, some in NYC-DSA expressed concern<\/a> about Ocasio-Cortez\u2019s public support for defensive military aid to Israel. Although she had never technically voted in favor of sending aid to Israel, she had made clear in public statements that she opposed sending \u201coffensive\u201d weapons to Israel but did not necessarily object to sending \u201cdefensive\u201d weapons like the Iron Dome missile defense system.<\/p>\n During the April 7 virtual forum, Ocasio-Cortez was asked whether she supported an arms embargo on Israel. \u201cTo answer your question, the answer is yes, I will support an arms embargo,\u201d Ocasio-Cortez said, according to a partial recording of the forum shared with City & State. \u201cIt is time for us to be able to talk about this with the majority of the American people and about how \u2026 the Israeli government has to be able to pay for its own munitions.\u201d Ocasio-Cortez was then asked whether she would commit to voting against all U.S. military aid to Israel \u2013 \u201cincluding so-called \u2018defensive capacities\u2019\u201d like the Iron Dome \u2013 and she replied that she would.<\/p>\n Initially, many in NYC-DSA cheered Ocasio-Cortez\u2019s pledge to oppose all U.S. military aid to Israel and credited DSA with successfully pushing her to the left. For her part, Ocasio-Cortez denied that her position on Israel was shaped by political pressure, whether from the supporters of the Jewish state or its critics. \u201cIt\u2019s also important to demonstrate and to just say that these votes (against aid to Israel) do not come without cost, and we take them, we take these positions, not out of the political calculation of what benefits and what doesn\u2019t, but because it\u2019s the right thing to do,\u201d she said during the forum.<\/p>\n Ocasio-Cortez also spoke during the forum about her relationship with DSA and the two-way nature of an endorsement. \u201cWhen we talk about the positions that I take, what an endorsement means is not just what I will do for the organization, but I think we also have to talk about what an endorsement means from the organization to one of its members,\u201d she said, explaining that NYC-DSA should seek to correct \u201cpolitical misinformation\u201d about her voting record when it comes to Israel and Palestine. \u201cI would like us to be able to amplify our proactive votes and actions for Palestine as much, ideally more, than any disagreements on small, on the dramatic minority of these actions,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n On April 8, the day after the virtual forum, Ocasio-Cortez released a public statement<\/a> clarifying her new stance: \u201cThe Israeli government is well able to fund the Iron Dome system, which has proven critical to keep innocent civilians safe from rocket attacks and bombardment. Consistent with my voting record to date, I will not support Congress sending more taxpayer dollars and military aid to a government that consistently ignores international law and U.S. law. \u2026 Our allies who need our military aid must understand that we will provide it consistent with the Leahy amendment and the foreign assistance act.\u201d (The Foreign Assistance Act<\/a> contains provisions that prohibit the government from aiding foreign governments that are found to have committed human rights abuses or blocked the delivery of humanitarian aid, while the Leahy Law<\/a> prohibits the government from providing arms to specific foreign military units that commit gross violations of human rights.)<\/p>\n That prompted a new round of criticism, as Ocasio-Cortez\u2019s critics within DSA argued that ending U.S. military aid to Israel but still allowing Israel to buy American weapons didn\u2019t really amount to an arms embargo on Israel. Ocasio-Cortez is also a co-sponsor of the Block the Bombs Act<\/a>, which would ban the export of certain bombs, but not all weapons, to Israel.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ocasio-Cortez was also criticized for refusing to commit to endorsing DSA\u2019s slate of candidates<\/a> for the 2026 Democratic primaries. She instead said she would assess each candidate on their own merits and according to her own strict criteria, which includes a commitment to Medicare for All, a refusal of all money from corporate PACs and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and a history of organizing in their communities.<\/p>\n Due to these and other concerns, some internal DSA groups like the staunchly anti-Zionist Springs of Revolution<\/a> and the communist Emerge<\/a> actually argued against endorsing Ocasio-Cortez for reelection. It didn\u2019t matter. NYC-DSA members still voted overwhelmingly to endorse Ocasio-Cortez for reelection.<\/p>\n There is little doubt that Ocasio-Cortez will win reelection this year, though conservative Democrat Marty Dolan, whom Ocasio-Cortez trounced 82%-18% two years ago, has launched another doomed primary bid against her.\u00a0<\/p>\n The bigger question is what 2028 holds. Ocasio-Cortez\u2019s individual orientation to Israel is receiving greater scrutiny since she is considered a potential presidential candidate, a successor to U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders who could unite the left. If she does not run for president in two years, Ocasio-Cortez is seen as a likely candidate to replace U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer. Both options present major opportunities for NYC-DSA.<\/p>\n When Ocasio-Cortez was asked about the 2028 presidential election during the virtual forum, she just spoke about the left\u2019s general strategy \u2013 including minimum standards for any candidate supported by progressives and what characteristics the ideal left-lane candidate might have \u2013 rather than offering any insight into her own plans.<\/p>\n