Candidates For Albany Mayor

 Early Monday Morning, Common Council member Corey Ellis, announced his candidacy for Albany Mayor, hoping to unseat incumbent Democrat Jerry Jennings. Ellis is one of the  most outspoken critics of the Jennings administration.

"I know it won't be easy, but I'm no stranger to hard work I'm no stranger to hard fought campaigns. . . I've worked all my life to make a difference in people's lives every single day," says Ellis.

Ellis says he will focus his campaign on the the need for education reform in the city and new ways to bring in outside revenue streams.

Asked what makes him believe he could take on popular incumbent Mayor Jennings, Ellis insists he has support around the city. "We're going to work hard... and run a credible campaign -- a hard-fought campaign -- and we will bring our message to the people."

Ellis is off and running, but the field just got a little more crowded. Common Council President Shawn Morris confirmed to CBS 6 News that she, too, is running. She plans to make a formal announcement soon.

When CBS 6 News asks Morris what her central campaign issue will be, Morris says she'll focus on quality of life issues in the city -- "[m]aking our city a place where people want to live, not just pass through," she says.

Similar to what his opponents are trying to do now, Jennings bucked the party trend during his first mayoral run and in a primary beat Harold Joyce, backed by the Albany democratic machine.

"I'll be the same person I was before I took this office, and the same person I am now. People can look at me and say, 'yeah' either he's worth it or he's not, " says Mayor Jennings.

Jennings tells CBS 6 there is still work to be done. For those issues, he says, he will fight hard. But he's not discounting his new rivals: "They are candidates, they will discuss issues. I'm not sure what-- because I'm pretty aware of all of the issues in the city. I'm just going to continue moving the city forward."

The primary will be in the beginning of September.