If left-wing activist Saikat Chakrabarti is going to replace the outgoing Nancy Pelosi in Congress, he may have to do it without the help of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who has yet to endorse her former chief of staff.
Last year, the self-titled Speaker Emerita announced her retirement after holding down the San Francisco seat for almost four decades, a long overdue passing of the torch to a new generation, with the 86-year-old finally stepping aside.
AOC’s blessing could go a long way to putting Chakrabarti over the top in the upcoming Democratic primary in which he is running against California state Sen. Scott Wiener, but the socialist diva is, at least for now, giving him the cold shoulder.
When put on the spot by a Drop Site News reporter about whether she is endorsing the Justice Democrats co-founder and wealthy software engineer, Ocasio-Cortez declined to do so, dancing around the question and leaving her options open.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who has yet to endorse her former campaign manager and chief of staff Saikat Chakrabarti in his bid to succeed Nancy Pelosi in representing California’s 11th district, told Drop Site’s Julian Andreone that she is “trying to think about the… pic.twitter.com/A2t9naEMXW
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) April 16, 2026
“For me, overall, I’m trying to think about the role I’m trying to play more broadly in these things,” she told the reporter.
“There are 435 seats in Congress, right? And there is this moment where it’s like — and not just in this race but any race, once you go in it’s like ‘what about this one, and this one?’” Ocasio-Cortez said.
It was like a knife in the back for the former aide who has boasted about his ties to AOC, a progressive rock star with a devout legion of cult-like followers who have worshipped her like a goddess since the day that she first exploded onto the political scene back in 2018.
“Having worked with AOC, I can safely say she’s one of a kind. But I’d be honored to represent San Francisco in Congress and join AOC to build a society that truly works for all,” Chakrabarti said in a February post to X, announcing his run for the seat in California’s 11th District.
Having worked with AOC, I can safely say she is one of a kind. But I’d be honored to represent San Francisco in Congress and join AOC to build a society that truly works for all. pic.twitter.com/dExoVKyD4E
— Saikat Chakrabarti for Congress (@saikatc) February 19, 2026
Chakrabarti praised AOC in a Friday post to X.
Her average donation is $16. She literally never does call time or big fundraisers asking rich people for money. It’s what makes her fully independent.
And the big donors perceive that as an existential threat. https://t.co/TBG1NfLNPj
— Saikat Chakrabarti for Congress (@saikatc) April 18, 2026
But still no endorsement.
This week, the upstart candidate’s campaign hyped a new poll showing a tightening race for the June 2 primary, suggesting that he could win against Weiner, a man with a built-in advantage in the sodomite capital of America.
In just a few months, we’ve closed the gap from 21 points to 5 points in the polls. We can end political corruption. We can control AI so it works for humanity, not the oligarchs. We can have Medicare-for-all and lower the cost of living.
But to do any of that, we have to… pic.twitter.com/CBNm7T5epG
— Saikat Chakrabarti for Congress (@saikatc) April 13, 2026
“When voters hear us talk about the issues impacting their lives, like affordability, housing, and corruption, they respond. San Francisco is looking for leadership that will fight for real change, not just more of the status quo, and that’s why we’re building momentum,” Chakrabarti told Newsweek.
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