AOC could challenge Schumer for Senate seat

Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said in a recent interview that she could not rule out challenging incumbent Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for his seat in the upper chamber of Congress, according to Punchbowl.

"I’m not playing coy or anything like that. I’m still very much in a place where I’m trying to decide what is the most effective thing I can do to help our Congress, our [political] process, and our country actually address the issues," she said.

Ocasio-Cortez was further asked whether the Democrats losing their Congressional majority would affect her decision, with the firebrand progressive Congresswoman saying that she doesn't think so short-term.

When the subject pivoted to the performance of Schumer in the Senate, Ocasio-Cortez expressed sympathy for his position by attacking Republican leadership. "We’ve had to deal with a fascist president and Mitch McConnell," Ocasio-Cortez said.

She did not, however, outright criticize Schumer, stating that "he and I have an open relationship, we speak to each other regularly." She continued by saying "there are things you can do in the minority. There are also things you couldn’t do with this minority because Senate rules changed."

Taking on Schumer would not be the first time for Ocasio-Cortez to fight a primary election against a Democratic Party veteran. In 2018, she won her seat after launching a successful primary challenge against Joe Crowley, who served as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus for the last two years of his 20-year tenure in the lower chamber. President Trump has insisted in the past that Ocasio-Cortez could beat Schumer in a primary race.