With an eye to AOC, DSA finalizes presidential endorsement process

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is edging closer to running for president, and the Democratic Socialists of America are edging closer to endorsing her when she does.

On Sunday, DSA’s National Political Committee – the socialist organization’s 27-member leadership body – finalized its 2028 presidential endorsement process, deciding that the group could consider endorsing a candidate early next year rather than waiting until its national convention in the summer. 

Back in July,  City & State covered DSA’s internal debate over that process, which is essentially a proxy battle over whether to endorse AOC. The big question at the time was whether or not to email a poll to all DSA members across the country asking who they thought DSA should endorse for president. Ultimately, the NPC decided against an online poll.

Last weekend, the question was who should have the power to endorse a presidential candidate – DSA’s national convention or the NPC itself. The NPC has traditionally had the power to make national endorsements, while the biennial national convention is DSA’s highest decision-making body. (The NPC is only the highest decision-making body between conventions.) But the next convention isn’t until August 2027 – around six months after AOC might launch her presidential campaign. 

The vote on Sunday ultimately came down to DSA’s internal politics. The DSA groups Marxist Unity Group and Springs of Revolution, which control a combined seven votes on the 27-member NPC, had proposed holding a special presidential endorsement conference in June. But the caucuses Socialist Majority Caucus and Groundwork, which control a combined nine votes, opposed the resolution because they want DSA to endorse AOC as early as possible. The Bread & Roses caucus, which controls five votes, broke the stalemate, voting to keep the presidential endorsement power with the NPC. Ultimately, the NPC voted 15-12 to reject the proposed special conference.

Once AOC or another DSA candidate launches a presidential campaign, the plan is for DSA to host a candidate town hall. Local DSA chapters would hold discussions around whether to endorse, which the NPC is supposed to consider when weighing an endorsement. But in truth, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that the NPC will vote next year in favor of creating a super PAC to support AOC – assuming she runs for president, of course.

Will AOC ultimately take the plunge and run for president? Or would she run for U.S. Senate instead? Let’s put it this way: AOC is not not running for president. Two people close to her campaign told City & State that she hasn’t made a final decision yet, but she’s taken steps to prepare for a potential presidential campaign in order to keep the option open. Ocasio-Cortez will likely make a final decision after the midterm elections, especially after seeing how DSA and other progressive candidates for U.S. Senate, like Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed and Florida’s Angie Nixon, perform in November.