Progressive Twitch streamer Hasan Piker says Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) would be his top choice for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, arguing that she is uniquely positioned to energize the party’s base and bring infrequent voters to the polls.
During an interview with journalist Mehdi Hasan for Zeteo, Piker was asked to choose his preferred Democratic presidential candidate through a rapid-fire series of head-to-head matchups featuring several of the party’s biggest names.
When the exercise ended with a choice between Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Piker answered without hesitation.
“AOC. It’s not even a question,” he said.
The interview featured a roster of potential 2028 contenders that included California Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Khanna.
Piker said only one candidate on the list genuinely appealed to him.
“AOC is, out of all of the people that you mentioned,” he said. “AOC is the only one that I would like.”
The left-wing streamer acknowledged that Ocasio-Cortez could face electoral challenges because she is both a woman and a progressive, but argued those obstacles are surmountable.
“These are hurdles, yes,” Piker said. “But these are hurdles that one can clear.”
According to Piker, Ocasio-Cortez’s greatest political strength would be her ability to motivate voters who typically do not participate in elections.
Piker went a step further by comparing the New York congresswoman favorably to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), whose presidential campaigns helped propel socialism into the Democratic Party’s mainstream.
“It would be a fantastic left candidate, even better than Bernie in many ways,” Piker said.
Despite his endorsement, Piker also criticized aspects of Ocasio-Cortez’s political style.
He praised her willingness to embrace progressive positions and credited her with effectively using social media, but argued she could better channel the populist energy that has animated both the left and right in recent years.
Ocasio-Cortez has not announced whether she intends to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028. In May, she said she had not decided whether to run for president, though she has expanded her national political profile in recent months through campaign appearances, endorsements, and travel on behalf of progressive candidates, including a stop in Michigan to support Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
Piker’s endorsement comes as speculation continues to build over the Democratic Party’s post-Biden future.
Piker, one of the most influential left-wing online personalities, has built an audience of millions through his Twitch streams and social media commentary. But he has also become one of the Democratic Party’s most controversial media figures. Critics have accused him of downplaying or excusing political violence, spreading false information, and amplifying extremist rhetoric. His critics on the right have also pointed to anti-American remarks and his interviews with polarizing figures.
More recently, he made headlines after the United Kingdom revoked his Electronic Travel Authorization, preventing him from entering the country for scheduled appearances. British officials did not publicly detail the reason for the decision, though Piker argued it stemmed from his political views and public criticism of Israel.
READ NEXT: Progressive Streamer Hasan Piker Drops Support For Graham Platner
