AOC publicly humiliates her former aide running for Nancy Pelosi’s seat
A potential successor in the race for Nancy Pelosi’s congressional seat faced a setback after Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez declined to endorse him during a recent video interview.
During an exchange with a reporter from Drop Site, Ocasio-Cortez was asked about her former chief of staff, Saikat Chakrabarti, who briefly worked with her after she entered Congress in 2018 and is now running for a House seat in San Francisco. She did not offer an endorsement, instead shifting to a broader explanation of how she approaches political support.
“I’m trying to think about the role I’m trying to play more broadly in these things,” she said.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who has yet to endorse her former campaign manager and chief of staff Saikat Chakrabarti in his bid to succeed Nancy Pelosi in representing California’s 11th district, told Drop Site’s Julian Andreone that she is “trying to think about the… pic.twitter.com/A2t9naEMXW
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) April 16, 2026
Chakrabarti, a Democratic candidate who previously worked as Ocasio-Cortez’s congressional aide for about six months, has frequently referenced that connection in campaign messaging. In announcing his campaign, he highlighted their past work together and said he would aim to continue similar political goals if elected.
Chakrabarti, who made his fortune working at the financial technology company Stripe, has invested about 5 million dollars of his own money into the race. He has also described himself as a former tech director for Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign and as a contributor to early Green New Deal policy development. He later worked on Ocasio-Cortez’s 2018 congressional campaign, which unseated then-Representative Joe Crowley.
After joining her office in Congress, Chakrabarti was reported to have had strained relationships with some Democratic colleagues, according to media accounts at the time. Ocasio-Cortez said in the interview that she now maintains a relatively small political staff and noted the large number of congressional races and candidates she is asked to evaluate.
The seat he is seeking is currently held by Nancy Pelosi, who is not running for reelection. Chakrabarti is competing against state Senator Scott Wiener, city supervisor Connie Chan, and attorney and activist Marie Hurabiell.
He has received endorsements from a range of figures, including performer Peaches Christ and former Representative Jamal Bowman. Bowman lost his 2024 reelection campaign after an incident in which he pulled a fire alarm in a congressional building and was fined. Chakrabarti has also drawn attention for expressing support for online streamer Hasan Piker, who has faced criticism over past statements.
Chakrabarti did not respond to a request for comment.
Commentator Cenk Uygur, a supporter of Chakrabarti, criticized Ocasio-Cortez in a video statement and questioned her decision not to endorse him, arguing that he expected her support given their past working relationship.
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