<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/alexandria-ocasio-cortez/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)</a> renewed her membership in the <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/democratic-socialists-of-america/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Democratic Socialists of America</a> this month after the organization discovered she had not formally been a member for nearly seven years.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Ocasio-Cortez initially joined the DSA in 2018, the year she defeated longtime Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY) in a Democratic primary. According to the organization, her one-year membership expired in 2019 and was not renewed until August 2026.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Democratic Socialists of America confirms Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a member in good standing of our organization, having recently rejoined in August 2026,” the group stated in a message to members that was first reported by <em>City & State</em>.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Previously, the representative joined DSA in 2018 with a one-year membership, which DSA’s national leadership recently noticed had lapsed in 2019,” the statement reads. “She has since renewed her membership as of this month.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The DSA had referred to Ocasio-Cortez as a member during the years her membership had lapsed. The organization celebrated her 2020 reelection by congratulating “DSA member @AOC” and again described her as a member in 2024 while praising her vote against legislation that could have resulted in a TikTok ban.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In a statement, the DSA explained that it publicly clarified Ocasio-Cortez’s membership status due to discussions within the organization about a potential 2028 presidential campaign.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“While it is atypical for DSA to address the membership status of individuals, ongoing discussions about the 2028 presidential campaign have prompted this release,” the organization said.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The DSA noted that its chapters and members have been organizing efforts to draft Ocasio-Cortez into the Democratic presidential primary, making her relationship with the organization relevant to those discussions.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“With chapters and members campaigning to draft Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as a potential Presidential Primary candidate, we believe that the status of her membership is essential information for members to have in their deliberations and discussions,” the group stated.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Ocasio-Cortez’s renewed membership follows a complicated relationship with the DSA. In 2024, the DSA’s national political committee withdrew its conditional endorsement of her reelection, citing disagreements over Israel and Gaza, among other issues.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The congresswoman’s office did not respond to a request for comment.</p>