Overview
- Multiple Democratic campaigns have publicly limited or removed ties to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez in the final weeks before the midterm general to avoid out‑of‑state surrogates on the trail.
- Montana House candidate Sam Forstag removed AOC’s endorsement from his website and said he does not plan to use many out‑of‑state surrogates during the closing weeks of his race.
- Recent national polling places AOC’s favorability in the mid‑20s and shows weaker ratings among independents and younger voters, a metric strategists cite when arguing she can hurt swing‑state performance.
- Other campaigns, including Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El‑Sayed’s team, still welcome her help, highlighting a clear split between progressive and centrist tactical approaches.
- Party operatives say the pattern of distancing is a tactical choice about messaging in tight districts and it could feed directly into her post‑midterm calculus about whether to pursue higher office in 2028.