President Donald Trump told network anchors Tuesday that he thinks Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will run against Democratic New York Sen. Chuck Schumer and “kick his ass.”
The comment came during an off the record lunch with various network anchors ahead of the president’s State of the Union (SOTU) address. Trump’s prediction was on the record, CBS News’ White House journalist Fin Gomez tweeted.
“I think @AOC is going to run against @SenSchumer and I think she’ll kick his ass,” Trump said according to Gomez.
NEW: @realDonaldTrump told network anchors during off the record lunch this on the record political prediction :“I think @AOC is going to run against @SenSchumer and I think she’ll kick his ass” per @margbrennan & @BretBaier
— Fin Gomez (@finnygo) February 4, 2020
Numerous people have filed to run against Ocasio-Cortez and she raised a reported $5.3 million in 2019, Politico previously reported. These fundraising numbers have stoked speculation that the freshman congresswoman will potentially entertain a Senate run in 2022 or 2024. There’s also been talk that the 30-year-old will eventually run for president, Politico noted.
Schumer was first elected to his position in 1998 and has served as the Senate Minority Leader since 2017.
Ocasio-Cortez announced Tuesday that she won’t be attending Trump’s SOTU address, writing that her presence could “normalize Trump’s lawless conduct & subversion of the Constitution.”
This is a deeply personal decision for each member to make, and a choice I did not take lightly.
I will be hopping on Instagram Live later this evening to connect with my constituents and follow up with their questions about #SOTU.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 4, 2020
“None of this is normal, and I will not legitimize it,” Ocasio-Cortez, who has often clashed with the president, tweeted. (RELATED: ‘Schumer Destroyed All Our Leverage’: WaPo Report Reveals Infighting Between House And Senate Democrats On Border Bill)