Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Has Raised 9.6 Million For 2028 Primary Challenge

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has shattered her personal fundraising record, pulling in $9.6 million during the first quarter of 2025.

The staggering total more than doubles her previous best quarter and positions her as one of the most potent political fundraisers in the country. Her success arrives amid a growing push from progressives urging her to consider a 2028 primary challenge against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Ocasio-Cortez, now sitting on over $8 million in available campaign funds, has spent recent weeks crisscrossing the country alongside Senator Bernie Sanders. Their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour has drawn thousands, energizing the party’s left flank and reinforcing Ocasio-Cortez’s place at the center of the progressive movement. The fundraising figures were disclosed in a Federal Election Commission filing submitted Tuesday.

Her campaign attributes the historic haul to a broad base of grassroots support. In a statement, campaign manager Oliver Hidalgo-Wohlleben said 64 percent of the contributions came from first-time donors. The average donation was just $21. Notably, none of the funds came from corporate PACs or lobbyists. Instead, the most common donor occupations were teachers and nurses—underscoring the congresswoman’s appeal among working-class voters.

Ocasio-Cortez acknowledged the surge of support in a message to her followers. “I cannot convey enough how grateful I am to the millions supporting us with your time, resources, and energy,” she wrote. “Your support has allowed us to rally people together at record scale to organize their communities.”

This quarter’s numbers eclipse her previous high of $4.4 million, raised in the summer of 2020 during her re-election campaign. The current fundraising performance comes as speculation swirls about her political future. Though she has not confirmed any plans to challenge Schumer, allies within the progressive movement are increasingly vocal in their desire to see her pursue higher office.

Sanders adviser Faiz Shakir weighed in on social media, framing the financial outpouring as a mandate. “The people are sending Democrats a message about the direction they would like to see,” he wrote.

Whether Ocasio-Cortez seizes that momentum to pursue a Senate run or continues building power in the House remains to be seen. What’s clear is that she has tapped into a deep well of enthusiasm—and is harnessing that energy to reshape the Democratic Party’s future.