WATCH: AOC responds to 2028 presidential buzz, says healthcare is what 'matters more'
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responds to speculation about a potential 2028 presidential run, saying her main focus is on guaranteeing healthcare for all Americans. (Credit: Nicholas Ballasy for Fox News Digital)
Far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker selected Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., over a slate of prominent Democrats as his preferred 2028 presidential candidate on Wednesday — arguing that AOC could excite the Democratic Party's base and bring infrequent voters into a winning coalition.
When asked to choose between Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., as his preferred candidate, Piker immediately selected the New York congresswoman.
"AOC. It's not even a question," Piker said during a Zeteo interview with Mehdi Hasan.
Hasan Piker named Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as his preferred presidential candidate over several high-profile Democrats. (Sam Barnes/Web Summit via Sportsfile via Getty Images)
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Piker made the choice at the end of a rapid-fire exercise that began with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The list later included former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif.
Piker said Ocasio-Cortez stood apart from the other potential contenders presented to him.
"AOC is, out of all of the people that you mentioned," Piker said. "AOC is the only one that I would like."
Piker acknowledged that her race and gender could present electoral obstacles but rejected the argument that they would make victory impossible.
Piker said choosing Ocasio-Cortez for president was "not even a question" during his interview with Mehdi Hasan. (YouTube/@uhhsid)
"These are hurdles, yes," Piker said. "But these are hurdles that one can clear."
Piker argued Ocasio-Cortez could overcome those barriers by campaigning with conviction and reaching voters who do not regularly participate in 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 said. "Which I think AOC has the capacity to do, it would be a fantastic left candidate."
Piker argued Ocasio-Cortez could excite the Democratic base and activate low-propensity voters in a presidential campaign. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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He compared Ocasio-Cortez favorably with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., whose presidential campaign helped elevate democratic socialism within the party.
"It would be a fantastic left candidate, even better than Bernie in many ways," Piker said.
Piker also offered criticism of Ocasio-Cortez's political presentation. He said she had been effective on social media and willing to take progressive positions in Congress but argued she could appear too concerned with optics.
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"The way she carries herself, I think, is a little bit too, like, optics-driven, too liberal and too optics-driven," Piker said. "I think she doesn’t harness the populist rage in the way that she communicates."
Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Ocasio-Cortez has not announced a 2028 campaign and said in May that she had not decided whether to run for president. She had increased her national travel, endorsements and campaign appearances, including a recent Michigan stop for progressive Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
