Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is suddenly discovering the joys of restraint, and it is throwing her activist fan club into mild existential crisis. The latest drama comes courtesy of Chi Osse, a New York City Council member who decided it was the perfect moment to announce plans for a 2026 primary challenge against House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Normally AOC cheers on these ideological crusades like it is her favorite sport. This time she is tiptoeing backward like someone realizing the stairwell is on fire.
She started with the classic dodge, claiming she was “not aware” of Osse’s plan. Then, almost immediately, she waved the white flag and said, “But I certainly don’t think a primary challenge to the leader is a good idea right now.” Coming from someone who built her entire brand on torching party leadership, that is quite a pivot. Apparently even revolutionaries have their limits when the target is one of the most powerful Democrats in Washington.
Even Zohran Mamdani, the new socialist mayor elect whose surprise win sent the left into a self congratulatory frenzy, looked uneasy about Osse’s move. He tried to redirect the conversation to affordability and the need to push back against what he called the authoritarian administration in the White House. For a guy whose faction lives for intraparty knife fights, that was basically a flashing sign saying drop this now.
The New York Post even reported that Mamdani urged Osse not to run. When socialists start telling other socialists to cool it, you know the situation has gotten awkward.
The attempted uprising is a clear shot from the progressive wing at Jeffries, the establishment favorite who has quietly become one of the most powerful Democrats in the country. And he did not exactly embrace Mamdani during the mayoral race. Jeffries held off on endorsing him until right before early voting, a move that irritated the left but also showed he was not about to let the DSA drag him around.
Osse’s district overlaps with Jeffries’ own turf in Brooklyn. He represents Bedford Stuyvesant and North Crown Heights and became the youngest City Council member after rising to prominence during the 2020 protests. He just filed paperwork for a congressional run, although he has not announced anything officially. His biggest problem at the moment is his own mouth. Just weeks ago he said, “It would take a very dire situation in order for me to even consider spending the rest of my 20s in DC. Just to be clear, I’m not running for Congress.” Now he claims “it seems like we’re in a dire situation.”
The left wanted a rebellion. Instead they are getting cold feet and mixed messages. Jeffries looks secure, AOC is suddenly acting like the adult in the room, and Osse is learning what happens when ambition outruns strategy.
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