Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

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The New York lawmaker is considered a serious contender -- if she wants to run.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) can’t seem to avoid the topic of 2028, when she could potentially seek the Democratic nomination to run for president.

While speaking at an event in Poughkeepsie, New York, for Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.), someone in the audience called out “AOC for president!”

The crowd cheered, and Ocasio-Cortez paused for a moment and smiled.

“I’m gonna need us to focus,” she said with a laugh:

Crowd Member: AOC for president!AOC: I’m going to need us to focus pic.twitter.com/MiUAbjJm00

Ocasio-Cortez is widely considered to be a serious contender for the nomination in 2028, but hasn’t yet tipped her hand on whether or not she plans to run.

When asked in September if she planned run for the presidency or the Senate, she said she was focused only on November.

“Our next election is in November,” she said. “2028 is two years away.”

“I’m leaving all my options open,” she said.

Based on recent history, candidates could start declaring their intentions for 2028 as early as January.