AOC hands down endorsements for Senate candidates in battleground elections

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez avoids questions about presidential run on 'The Late Show'

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez avoided answering questions about a 2024 presidential run while on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."

New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, an outspoken progressive in the House who often lends support for other far-left candidates in races across the country, on Wednesday endorsed three Senate candidates who are engaged in battleground races.

Ocasio-Cortez, who has represented the Empire State's 14th Congressional District in the House since 2019, offered endorsements for candidates – Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, Pennsylvania's Democrat Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, and Wisconsin's Democrat Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes – in an Instagram post as she touted an appearance she made on the "Late Show" with host Stephen Colbert.

"We CAN do more to pursue these items more aggressively. And THEN once we do, we can secure the W and turnout the vote for [John Fetterman] in PA, [Mandela Barnes] in WI, & [Time Ryan] in OH this November," she wrote in the post's caption.

Additionally, in the same post, Ocasio-Cortez called for the expansion of the Supreme Court, an end to the Senate filibuster, a repeal of the Hyde Amendment, and the codification of Roe v. Wade.

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez talks to reporters on Capitol Hill, Oct. 26, 2021, in Washington. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Although popular among progressive voters, Ocasio-Cortez's endorsements of candidates running in battleground elections in moderate areas of the country has raised concern about the potentially negative influence she places on the race.

Several progressive candidates who enjoyed endorsements from Ocasio-Cortez in New York's statewide primary elections Tuesday suffered defeat as their more moderate challengers proved victorious. Ana Maria Archila, who ran for election as lieutenant governor of the state, lost the Democratic primary to incumbent Antonio Delgado, garnering nearly 26% of the vote to his 60%. 

Additionally, Ocasio-Cortez endorsed nine candidates running for the state assembly against incumbents. Sarahana Shrestha and former New York City Council aide Juan Ardilanly were the only two assembly hopefuls endorsed by Ocasio-Cortez who won their primary races.

The New York congresswoman also backed Jessica Cisneros, a Democrat born to Mexican immigrants who lost her primary runoff election to moderate incumbent Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed, from left, Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, and Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes.  (Daniel Acker, Jeff Swensen, Michael M. Santiago, Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

While Barnes acknowledged Ocasio-Cortez's endorsement in a post shared to his Instagram story, both Ryan and Fetterman have remained silent.

Ryan, who currently represents Ohio's 13th Congressional District, soared to victory last month in the Democratic primary to represent the Buckeye State in the Senate as he handily bested his challengers and garnered nearly 70% of the vote. Ryan, who unsuccessfully ran for president in 2020 and has taken a center-left position as a Democrat in the House, has made championing working-class Americans a central focus of his campaign. 

Speaking exclusively to Fox News Digital earlier this month, Ryan highlighted rising energy and food costs as he called for a "major, significant tax cut for working people" to help deal with the "pain of inflation."

"A lot of it is the supply chain, a lot of it is the war," he said. "I just don't think we can look working-class people in the eye and say, ‘Look, you gotta bear the brunt of this while the oil companies are making huge amounts of money, while these other corporations are making huge amounts of money.’"

Rep. Tim Ryan answers a question during the Senate Democratic primary debate on March 28, 2022, in Wilberforce, Ohio. (Joshua A. Bickel/The Columbus Dispatch via AP)

Ryan is running against Trump-endorsed Republican nominee J.D. Vance for the Senate seat in Ohio being vacated by GOP Sen. Rob Portman, who announced earlier this year that he would not be seeking re-election. Portman has held the seat since 2011.

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Last month, Fetterman, who supports efforts to eliminate the filibuster and opposes the notion of expanding the Supreme Court, defeated his Democratic primary challengers in the Pennsylvania race for Senate. Throughout his campaign, Fetterman, a proponent for Medicare for All and criminal justice reform, has attempted to use his image as a blue-collar American who represents Pennsylvanians as lieutenant governor to resonate with moderate voters in the state.

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman during a news conference on Feb. 7, 2019, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

"We need to make sure that we’re not changing the structure of our government at a fundamental level," Fetterman said during an April primary debate.

In November, Fetterman will face off against Republican Senate nominee Mehmet Oz, a cardiac surgeon, author, and former host of the widely-popular "Dr. Oz Show." The winner of the general election, which plays a strong role in whether Republicans take back control of the Senate, will succeed retiring GOP Sen. Pat Toomey.

Barnes, who faces a crowded Democratic primary field in the race to represent Wisconsin in the Senate, has served as the Badger State's lieutenant governor since 2019. Earlier this year, Barnes received an endorsement from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and, like Ryan, has attempted to resonate with working-class Americans.

Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes speaks during the 48th Annual Juneteenth Day Festival on June 19, 2019, in Milwaukee. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images for VIBE)

"Hard-working families deserve every opportunity, but politicians like aren’t delivering. Instead of changing our dreams, we need to change the game. Join us," Barnes, a former lawmaker in the state, wrote in a tweet when he declared his candidacy.

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Should he defeat his primary challengers in the Aug. 9 election, Barnes has pledged to fight for health care and education reforms, voting rights, and initiatives that focus on climate change. The Democrat who advances to the general election in November is likely to face a challenge from incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson, who was first elected to the Senate in 2010.

Fox News did not receive an immediate response from the campaigns of Ryan, Barnes or Fetterman.