Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), the socialist congresswoman who has widely been viewed as the new leader of the Democratic Party, raised nearly $2 million in the final three months of 2019, for an overall campaign war chest of over $3 million at the start of the year, according to the New York Post.
Ocasio-Cortez raised approximately $1.97 million in the last quarter of 2019, after having raised over $5.3 million in the first three quarters. With about $3 million on hand at the start of 2020, speculation has arisen about what the congresswoman will do with one of the largest war chests in the House of Representatives.
Despite the massive fundraising haul, Ocasio-Cortez has refused to pay any of it in dues to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the campaign arm of the Democratic caucus in the House of Representatives, and has instead been funding a handful of progressive and socialist primary challengers to her own colleagues. Ocasio-Cortez herself came to prominence in 2018 by ousting 10-term incumbent Joe Crowley in the primary.
As Ocasio-Cortez is widely expected to easily win re-election in her district, the sizeable campaign fundraising has led to talk of the 30-year-old eventually seeking a higher office. Of all the possible options, the most likely is an eventual run for the U.S. Senate, either challenging Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in 2022 or junior Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in 2024.