WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Former New York City mayor Bill De Blasio announced Friday that he will run for Congress in New York’s newly established 10th District. This district includes Manhattan as well his Brooklyn home.

People ask me, “Can things get any better?” My heart says yes, but we must do more. “In our communities and in our country, the only way to save democracy is to become part of it,” de Blasio stated via Twitter (NYSE):

According to local media, De Blasio will be joining several other Democrats who are running for the August 23 primary, including Brad Hoylman, Simcha Felder, and state senators Brad Hoylman, and Yuh-Line Niou and Robert Carroll, and assembly members Jo Anne Simon.

De Blasio was a two-term mayor who resigned in December after serving his last term. He said that he is proud to have led the city through the coronavirus epidemic.

De Blasio’s popularity dropped in his last year of office. In June 2021, a poll by NY1/Ppsos showed just 37% approval of the job that he was performing.

The state court in New York will finish a redistricting map to the New York Congress on Friday. Political analysts believe that the new map will make it harder for Democrats to retain their 19 seats.

There could be some awkward Democratic matchups. Jerrold and Carolyn Nadler were longtime Democratic representatives. Their districts were combined to create one Manhattan seat, which could force them into a primary fight.