Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) dodged questions on whether Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) should step aside as party leader but acknowledged that the calls for her to challenge him for his seat in the Senate is real.

Ocasio-Cortez said on Wednesday the blame is not just on Schumer but on the eight Senate Democrats voting with most Republicans to overcome a 60-vote filibuster and reopen the government earlier this week.

“A leader is a reflection of the party, and Senate Democrats have selected their leadership to represent them,” Ocasio-Cortez said when asked if it was time for Schumer to step away. “So the question needs to be bigger than just one person.”

She acknowledged calls from her supporters to launch a bid for the upper chamber.

“I know I’m being asked about New York. That is years from now,” Ocasio-Cortez said, reminding her voters that Schumer wouldn’t be up for reelection until 2028.

“We actually do have Senate elections this year, and my hope is that people across this country actually participate in their primary elections in selecting their leadership,” the New York congresswoman continued.

It is worth noting that none of the eight Democrats who voted for the filibuster are up for reelection in 2026.

Ocasio-Cortez has been speculated for months to potentially launch a primary bid against Schumer, after the longtime Senate Democrat voted with Republicans to overcome the 60-vote filibuster in March to help ease along a continuing resolution. Though he did not vote for the filibuster on the CR this time around, a handful of House Democrats began calling on Schumer to step aside after failing to “meet the moment.”

“Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) said in a post on X following the vote. “If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), who is running for Senate against Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) next year, said the vote on Sunday evening was “another example of why we need new leadership.”

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“If @ChuckSchumer were an effective leader, he would have united his caucus to vote ‘No’ tonight and hold the line on healthcare. Maybe now @EdMarkey will finally join me in pledging not to vote for Schumer?” Moulton wrote on X.

No Democratic senators have called for Schumer to step aside, though a few called the deal a mistake or a “very bad night.”