Nobody expected AOC to flip on the far-left movement she created.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is creating fresh turmoil inside the Democratic Party after distancing herself from a far-left push to challenge House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries in the 2026 primary. The move is raising eyebrows among progressives and fueling new questions about loyalty inside “The Squad.”
The controversy started when New York City Council member Chi Osse — a young, outspoken progressive closely tied to Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani — signaled interest in launching a primary challenge against Jeffries. At first, Ocasio-Cortez claimed she was completely “unaware” of Osse’s plan. But within moments, she abruptly changed tone, warning reporters that a challenge to the party leader is “not a good idea right now.”
Even Mamdani himself tried to downplay the revolt. Although he and Osse are both members of the Democratic Socialists of America, he offered a vague, standoffish response when asked about the challenge. Mamdani insisted Democrats should focus on affordability issues and on opposing what he called the “authoritarian administration” in the White House — a familiar swipe at President Trump from the far-left wing of the party.
According to the New York Post, Mamdani actually urged Osse not to run. This revelation highlights major cracks inside the progressive movement, suggesting that even the hard Left is worried about triggering a damaging civil war in an election cycle where President Trump continues to gain momentum.
Osse’s potential run is a direct challenge to the old Democratic establishment. It comes as progressives are emboldened by Mamdani’s major victory in New York City and Democratic wins in New Jersey and Virginia. But those successes may now backfire by intensifying the internal fight between radical activists and party leadership.
Jeffries himself kept a noticeable distance during Mamdani’s mayoral campaign. After Mamdani shocked the political class by winning the primary in June, Jeffries waited months before offering a last-minute endorsement right before early voting — a clear sign of tension behind the scenes.
Osse currently represents Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant and North Crown Heights neighborhoods. He first gained attention during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 and became the City Council’s youngest and first Gen Z member in 2021 at just 23 years old.
Filings with the FEC confirm Osse has already created “Chi Osse for Congress,” though he has not formally announced a campaign. Critics quickly pointed out that he had insisted only weeks ago that “it would take a very dire situation” for him to consider running for Congress. On Monday, he reversed course on social media, writing that it now “seems like we’re in a dire situation.”
Ocasio-Cortez’s sudden retreat, combined with growing fractures inside the socialist wing, signals a deepening internal battle within the Democratic Party. And with President Trump strengthening his position nationwide, Democrats may be heading toward their most damaging internal conflict in years — one they can’t afford heading into 2026.
