Overview
- Pressed on whether Sen. Chuck Schumer should worry about a primary, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders pushed back sharply during a CNN town hall Wednesday.
- Sanders criticized the focus on electoral speculation and listed housing, health care, education, inequality and campaign finance as the issues demanding attention.
- Moderator Kaitlan Collins noted that President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have recently raised the prospect of Ocasio-Cortez challenging Schumer in 2026.
- Sanders argued that such questions from Trump and Vance serve to deflect attention from substantive policy debates.
- Earlier this month, Nancy Pelosi rebuffed suggestions that Ocasio-Cortez is directing Democrats on the shutdown after Ocasio-Cortez invited Republicans to negotiate with her directly.