The race to succeed Bernie Sanders as a leading progressive figure is intensifying as the Michigan Senate primary approaches, potentially shaping the future of the Democratic Party.
The competition is particularly evident between Democratic Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ro Khanna of California. They have adopted differing strategies for the midterms, with Khanna taking an all-encompassing approach while Ocasio-Cortez selectively engages in key races. This divergence could influence their political futures, possibly setting the stage for a 2028 presidential bid to inherit the progressive movement.
Within Sanders’ close circle, there’s a strong belief about who should lead next, although the broader progressive community is divided on the issue.
“It’s always been clear that AOC is the heir,” stated a source close to Sanders, speaking anonymously about private discussions. “Always.”
Despite this, there is significant maneuvering and disagreement within Sanders’ coalition about who will eventually succeed the Vermont senator. Supporters of Khanna argue that Ocasio-Cortez is too cautious to be the movement’s standard-bearer, with some left-wing leaders frustrated by her limited endorsement approach.
The contrasting strategies of Ocasio-Cortez and Khanna are evident in Michigan, where a key Senate primary is unfolding. This election is a critical battleground for determining the Democratic Party’s next presidential nominee.
Both Ocasio-Cortez and Khanna, alongside Sanders, have endorsed Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate who is gaining momentum against the establishment-backed Haley Stevens. However, only Ocasio-Cortez has campaigned with Sanders for El-Sayed, participating in a joint rally in Lansing, Michigan, which was featured in one of El-Sayed’s final TV ads.
Meanwhile, Khanna has launched a separate digital fundraising campaign for El-Sayed and has supported him independently of Sanders.
Though Sanders and Khanna share a connection, with Khanna having served as a national co-chair for Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, there are doubts within Sanders’ circle about Khanna’s potential success as a presidential candidate. There is uncertainty about whether Khanna is best suited to lead the progressive movement if Ocasio-Cortez opts out of a 2028 presidential run.
One operative close to Sanders remarked, “Ro is basically already running, but not many are taking him too seriously as the movement’s next leader,” under conditions of anonymity.
In an interview, Khanna dismissed the idea of a single heir to Sanders’ progressive movement. “I believe that Sanders is going to have many successors over decades, and the key is to build a majoritarian progressivism that can win across the country,” he stated.
When asked if Ocasio-Cortez running for president would alter his plans, Khanna said, “No,” indicating that he plans to make a decision “around Thanksgiving.”
A spokesperson for Ocasio-Cortez declined to comment. Sanders, meanwhile, seeks to focus on immediate national concerns.
“The presidential election is in 2 years and 3 months,” Sanders said in a statement. “Let’s focus now on how we resolve the urgent issues facing our country. There is plenty of time to worry about possible presidential candidates.”
Why Sanders world sees AOC as the successor
Sanders, aged 84, and Ocasio-Cortez, aged 36, have formed a strong bond, transcending politics but grounded in shared ideals. They frequently discuss key policies, political strategies, and candidate endorsements, and have coordinated their endorsements for various New York democratic socialists and progressives who secured House seats.
They share a network of advisers, including Faiz Shakir and Mike Casca. Casca, formerly a long-term aide to Sanders, now serves as Ocasio-Cortez’s chief of staff, playing a critical role in shaping both policy and political strategy. Shakir advises Sanders and is the executive director of More Perfect Union, a progressive nonprofit media organization.
“I’m sure there are a lot of people who are interested in being the next Bernie Sanders, I think he’d be less inclined to give them his endorsement” over Ocasio-Cortez, said a third source close to Sanders, who’s been involved in the conversations around his political and policy strategy for years, granted anonymity to discuss them.
Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez have taken different approaches to the midterms. Sanders has expanded his endorsement roster and presence on the campaign trail, which his allies view as an effort to nurture a new generation of progressive leaders. He often endorses candidates early to validate their campaigns and platforms, while Ocasio-Cortez acts more as a closer.
This represents a strategic shift for Ocasio-Cortez, who previously engaged in races earlier. Advisers suggest this change acknowledges her ability to mobilize specific voting blocs, such as communities of color and working-class voters, later in campaigns.
While they don’t coordinate on every race, they have aligned in several contests, including El-Sayed’s Senate race in Michigan and Sam Forstag’s House primary in Montana. Ocasio-Cortez reportedly contacted Sanders as soon as she decided to endorse El-Sayed, and they immediately began planning a rally, according to a person familiar with the discussions.
Earlier in the year, Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez led a progressive initiative on artificial intelligence. Sanders was the first in Congress to call for an AI moratorium, influencing Ocasio-Cortez’s position. They introduced joint legislation in March to ban the rapid expansion of data center construction.
As a result, the issue now resonates across progressive and conservative voting blocs, becoming a significant policy topic on Capitol Hill and influencing discussions around the 2028 presidential race.
“Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and I understand what is at stake,” Sanders said when introducing the AI moratorium bill with the New York Democrat in the Senate.
Progressive candidates endorsed by both Ocasio-Cortez and Khanna recognize their distinct appeals as validators.
Khanna has gained prominence for advocating the release of Jeffrey Epstein’s files, while Ocasio-Cortez offers star power and a national spotlight that helps increase candidates’ visibility, particularly among younger progressive voters, who can be challenging to mobilize.
“AOC’s very popular, she has a lot of grassroots support … all across the country,” said Adam Hamawy, who was endorsed by both representatives in his New Jersey House primary this spring. “Ro Khanna has not just progressives, but he’s had a strong stance against corruption. … There’s a lot of overlap but each of them have specific things that come together to paint a wider picture than if I just had one.”
Don’t count Ro out yet
However, not everyone in Sanders’ circle is convinced Ocasio-Cortez is the clear successor. Khanna’s allies assert he has been more proactive — challenging incumbents in primaries, addressing issues like the Epstein files, and recently visiting the West Bank.
“People who are supporting her are supporting her more as a brand,” commented a Khanna ally and Sanders world operative, speaking anonymously. “What does it mean to work with her? What does it mean for her to pass a bill? I don’t know her theory of change.”
There is concern that Ocasio-Cortez is “weirdly isolating herself” in the lead-up to a 2028 decision, the operative said. “I could not tell you who AOC’s advisers are at this point [beyond Casca]. If you’re thinking of running for president, you want to be in an expansive, elevated, exciting space, not in a controlled environment.”
Ocasio-Cortez has been more selective in her endorsements compared to Khanna or Sanders, supporting left-wing candidates in several competitive House primaries but avoiding some of the more contentious contests, such as the Maine Senate and Wisconsin’s gubernatorial primary.
This approach has drawn criticism from some on the left who feel she is being too cautious given her political influence, especially as she refrains from challenging incumbents — a tactic that helped her win her seat in 2018.
“Who cares about your win-loss ratio? What I care about is, are you trying to help fellow progressives or aren’t you?” said Cenk Uygur, a Khanna supporter who founded the progressive online network “The Young Turks” and Justice Democrats.
“AOC cares so much about her colleagues, and her colleagues are establishment Democrats. I don’t care about them. In fact, I’m opposed to them,” Uygur added. “I want them challenged in primaries.”
Khanna maintains close ties with Sanders and his network.
Jeff Weaver, Sanders’ 2016 campaign manager, now advises Khanna as he aims to become a prominent progressive leader and lays the groundwork for a potential 2028 presidential run.
“No two candidates are equal,” Weaver stated. “But I think Ro Khanna has the chance to do what Bernie did, which is to have appeal beyond the Democratic base.”
Khanna has invested years in building the infrastructure necessary for a presidential campaign, traveling to early primary and battleground states to establish the organizational foundation for a future run. Since 2021, he has been assembling steering committees of 75 to 100 people in New Hampshire and Nevada, with another in progress in South Carolina, working with local political influencers, according to Shannon Jackson, a longtime Sanders operative now consulting for Khanna.
Recently, the California representative embarked on what he calls a “new economic patriotism tour” in Pennsylvania, holding events in counties Trump won, such as Erie, Luzerne, and Cambria. “There is a great desire for a bold, progressive vision that is going to call out an unfair and rigged political and economic system,” he told POLITICO. However, Khanna believes the true test is making that vision resonate “not just in the Bay Area, not just in Michigan, not just in progressive areas, but in places like Pennsylvania.”
Khanna has endorsed numerous candidates across various levels this year, participating in some of the most contentious Democratic House, Senate, and gubernatorial primaries nationwide.
This extensive involvement has led to a mixed record, including notable defeats such as Graham Platner’s downfall in Maine’s Senate primary and Tom Steyer’s costly loss in the California governor’s race. In Platner’s case, Khanna and Sanders endorsed the Maine progressive, while Ocasio-Cortez stayed out of the race.
Khanna has also supported candidates opposing the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and establishment, such as Matt Dunlap in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, who successfully defeated the DCCC’s preferred candidate.
“There’s a difference between being a progressive in policies and being a progressive in action,” Uygur said. “And action requires you challenging the system, challenging the establishment. On those grounds, it’s not close. Ro Khanna is head and shoulders above every other Democrat.”
