SQUAD GOALS

What Is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Planning?

You don’t need a degree in math (or politics) to know what record-breaking fundraising, a national tour and positive polling add up to.

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is up to something. The latest evidence? AOC raised nearly $10 million in the first three months of 2025, a stunning total for a House member and almost two-thirds of what she raised total in 2023 and 2024 combined. These funds came from more than 250,000 individual donors, with an average contribution of $21. Know what that sounds a lot like? The fundraising haul of a presidential candidate. It’s not just the money. (Although the money absolutely matters!) Consider a few other things: Ocasio-Cortez is currently on a national campaign tour with Bernie Sanders that seems, for anyone paying attention, like a passing of the torch from one liberal giant to another, while 2028 polls—admittedly very early ones—of the Democratic primary field show that she is very much in the top tier. I don’t know what AOC’s next political step is, but she’s clearly got her eye on her political future—and is putting the pieces in place to get what she wants.

Want more ball and strike calling—no matter what uniform the batter at the plate is wearing? Check out Chris Cillizza’s Substack and YouTube channel.