Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s public comments and recent activities have kept both paths viable ahead of her expected post-midterm decision. In a late September New York Times interview, the New York representative described weighing a 2028 presidential bid against challenging Chuck Schumer for his Senate seat, framing the choice around maximizing impact and acknowledging electability questions tied to her identity. Her upstate New York appearances in Buffalo and Ithaca, including voter outreach efforts, have been interpreted as early groundwork for a statewide Senate campaign, contributing to the modest Senate edge in trading. With no formal announcement and midterm results still pending, the tight Senate-President spread reflects ongoing uncertainty over which route she will prioritize before 2028.