AOC Blasts Rumored DNC Chair Contender: ‘Disease’

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) launched a blistering critique of former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel‘s potential bid for Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair, slamming the Democratic establishment’s donor-focused approach.

“There is a disease in Washington of Democrats who spend more time listening to the donor class than working people,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “If you want to know the seed of the party’s political crisis, that’s it.”

The sharp rebuke from the progressive congresswoman came after veteran Democratic strategist David Axelrod publicly pitched Emanuel, the current U.S. Ambassador to Japan, to lead the DNC when current chairman Jaime Harrison‘s term concludes in March.

Newsweek contacted AOC’s press contact and Emanuel’s office via email on Saturday for comment.

“If they said, ‘Well, what should we do? Who should lead the party?’ I would take Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, and I would bring him back from Japan and I would appoint him chairman of the Democratic National Committee,” Axelrod said on his Hacks on Tap podcast. “He is the most skillful, political kind of infighter in the Democratic Party. He’s been a member of Congress, he’s been White House chief of staff, he’s been the mayor of Chicago.”

According to sources familiar with the situation, Emanuel has begun exploring a potential run for the chairmanship, fielding calls from Democrats encouraging his candidacy and inquiring about the selection process. The former White House chief of staff has told associates he plans to leave his Tokyo post in November.

Emanuel’s potential bid comes at a critical juncture for the Democratic Party. In response to suggestions about bringing back Obama-era veterans for party leadership, Ocasio-Cortez offered pointed criticism on social media. “While those folks ran successful presidential campaigns, they also oversaw some of the largest downballot losses in modern times,” she posted on X. “Party building is different. Look to people w/ recent successes.”

The New York representative further emphasized her opposition, writing that the DNC needs “an organizer who gets people. Not someone who sends fish heads in the mail,” referencing Emanuel’s notorious aggressive political tactics.

Emanuel’s extensive political career spans three Democratic presidencies. He served as an Illinois congressman from 2003 to 2009 before becoming President Barack Obama‘s Chief of Staff. Following his White House tenure, he served as Chicago’s mayor from 2011 to 2019. President Biden nominated him as Ambassador to Japan, where he was confirmed in December 2021.

His ambassadorship has not been without controversy. In September, Emanuel sparked diplomatic tension after posting provocative comments about China’s foreign minister and defense minister on social media. Earlier rumors had suggested he might be tapped as Vice President Harris’s national security adviser during her campaign.

“He knows how to do this, and he would be a presence in the media and so on, fearless about taking on Trump,” Axelrod said on his podcast. He later reinforced his support on X, stating, “There may be others but he is kind of sui generis: Dude knows how to fight and win!”

Several other prominent Democrats are reportedly considering bids for the DNC chair position. Among them are former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party chair Ken Martin, and former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, according to sources familiar with their deliberations.