Poll shock: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez rockets ahead of Chuck Schumer by double digits in high-stakes popularity battle

A new poll says Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez would beat Chuck Schumer by 21 points if they ran against each other in the 2028 Democratic primary, poll by Honan Strategy Group for Jewish Voters Action Network.

AOC gets 54% support from likely Democratic voters in New York City, while Schumer only gets 33%, the poll was conducted on May 15 to 18, 2025. AOC is still pretty popular among the Jewish democratic folks, with 45% leaning towards her to Schumer's mere 33%. The undecided ones constitute 17%. The poll surveyed 1,136 Democrats and had a margin of error of plus and minus 2.89%.

Schumer is 74 years old and has been in the Senate for over 20 years, but this poll shows he might be losing support. People in the Democratic base are unhappy with how Schumer handled antisemitism and recent political fights, as per the report by Newsweek.

AOC is only 35 years old and is seen as one of the most powerful Democrats in the U.S. right now. Some people compare her political style to Donald Trump because she’s bold and gets lots of attention from both parties. She’s been touring with Bernie Sanders to fire up voters and fight against the rich and powerful, what they call “oligarchy”, according to reports.

AOC has criticized Israel strongly, calling its actions in Gaza a “genocide”. Schumer, who is Jewish and a strong supporter of Israel, has had support from Jewish voters for 50 years, but it’s slipping, as per reports.
In 2024, Schumer said on the Senate floor that Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu is blocking peace, and called for new elections in Israel. Schumer said, “A new election is the only way to allow a healthy and open decision-making process in Israel.”

In March 2025, Schumer got heat from some Democrats for backing a budget bill, critics said it was too friendly to Trump and Republicans. Only nine Democrats supported the bill, showing the party was divided. Schumer defended himself, saying he voted for it to avoid more damage from Trump and Elon Musk, who advises the Department of Government Efficiency, as mentioned in the Newsweek report.

FAQs

Q1. Is AOC running for Senate in 2028?
She hasn’t announced any plans yet.

Q2. Why is Schumer losing support?
Many Democrats are unhappy with his recent political choices and handling of key issues