Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has reportedly declined to comment on the congressional campaign of her former chief of staff, Saikat Chakrabarti, who is running for California's 11th congressional district. This comes despite Ocasio-Cortez's public endorsement of a local candidate in Brookline, Massachusetts, a town with a population of approximately 63,000. The perceived inconsistency has drawn attention, particularly as Chakrabarti has made his past association with Ocasio-Cortez a central pillar of his campaign.
Saikat Chakrabarti, a co-founder of Justice Democrats and Ocasio-Cortez's former campaign manager and chief of staff, is seeking to succeed former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the 2026 U.S. House election. Chakrabarti announced his candidacy in February 2025, initially challenging Pelosi before her retirement announcement in November 2025. His campaign website prominently features his role in Ocasio-Cortez's 2018 upset victory and his work on the Green New Deal.
The tweet by Kane 謝凱堯 highlighted the contrast, stating, "AOC very publicly endorsed and stumped for a Brookline, MA town candidate (pop 63k). She won’t comment on former staffer @saikatc’s Congressional run in the largest state, even though Saikat’s made 'I totally know her' a pillar of his campaign." The tweet also quoted Ocasio-Cortez as saying, "I’m just not commenting on that race," when asked about potential "personal beef" regarding Chakrabarti.
Ocasio-Cortez previously endorsed Raul Fernandez for the Brookline Select Board in May 2019, attending a campaign event and emphasizing the importance of local civic engagement. She stated at the time, "Changing this country is not just about running for Congress. It's about running for select board." Fernandez and Ocasio-Cortez share a history from their time at Boston University.
Chakrabarti's campaign for California's 11th district has seen him largely self-fund, contributing $4.8 million of the $5.2 million raised by March 2026. He faces State Senator Scott Wiener and Supervisor Connie Chan in the June 2 primary. The race has also seen significant spending from outside groups, including a super PAC opposing Chakrabarti. Ocasio-Cortez's decision to remain silent on her former top aide's high-profile congressional bid, while engaging in smaller local races, presents a notable dynamic in progressive politics.
