Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks during a stop on the ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ tour with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) at Grand Park on April 12, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Mario Tama | Getty Images
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez raised $9.6 million during the first quarter of 2025, the strongest ever quarter for the New York Democrat, a campaign finance filing showed Tuesday.
AOC’s huge money haul — more than five times her tally in the first quarter of 2024 — comes as she and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., draw big crowds at “Fighting Oligarchy” rallies around the U.S.
The two progressives at those events criticize President Donald Trump’s policies and highlight the role that billionaires, including DOGE chief Elon Musk, have in the Trump administration. Turnout at the rallies has been strong even in red states.
Ocasio-Cortez is also being touted as a possible primary opponent against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in 2028. Schumer raised just $144,742 during the first quarter of 2025, according to his public filing.
Progressives are angry at her fellow New York Democrat for, among other things, voting for a Republican-sponsored resolution to avoid a government shutdown in March. There are widespread calls for new leadership in the Democratic Party due to its loss of the White House and Senate in the 2024 elections.
“I cannot convey enough how grateful I am to the millions of people supporting us with your time, resources, & energy,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted Tuesday.
“Your support has allowed us to rally people together at record scale to organize their communities,” said the lawmaker, whose district spans parts of the Bronx and Queens in New York City.
A large percentage of donations were in small amounts, Federal Election Commission records show. AOC said that the average donation was just $21.
A solid majority of donations in the first quarter — 64% — were from first-time donors, her campaign manager Oliver Hidalgo-Wohlleben said in a tweet.
“These resources support a year-round organizing presence in NY-14 [AOC’s district] and host rallies across the country in places like Arizona, Colorado, and Utah,” said Hidalgo-Wohlleben.
“It also means we are not beholden to any lobbyist, corporation, or billionaire.”