Former New York congressman Anthony Weiner officially announced that he will be running for mayor of New York City in the upcoming elections.

Weiner ended long-held media speculation when he launched his first campaign video overnight Wednesday. The video shows Weiner in the city beginning at his home with his son and wife, Huma Abedin, an aide to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The former congressman played up his New York roots, as the child of a middle-class Brooklyn family: his mother worked as a public school teacher while his father was a lawyer who, according to Weiner, received his education under the G.I. Bill.

"Theirs was a classic New York story," he said. "You work hard, you make it into the middle class and make life a little bit better for your kids. That's how this city was built. But it is getting harder and harder every day."

He went on to tout his achievements in Congress -- securing money for policing in the city, participation in the fight for healthcare and providing assistance for 9/11 first responders (in a video that went viral three years ago, Weiner is shown vehemently chastising his fellow representatives in a debate over a 9/11 victims compensation bill). Weiner also encourage viewers to look at ideas for governance, a 64-point plan known as Keys to the City.

Weiner even seemed to acknowledge the controversial end to his tenure in the House. The former congressman resigned in 2011 in the midst of a scandal, in which he admitted to posting explicit photographs of himself on social media.

"I made some big mistakes and I know I let a lot of people down," Weiner proclaimed in the video. "But I've also learned some tough lessons. I hope I get a second chance to work for you."

Currently, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is considered the leading mayoral candidate among Democrats. A recent poll taken before the announcement found that Weiner would stand at 15 percent if he were to run.

The Democratic primary is set for Sept. 10, with the general election occurring on Nov. 5.

Check out Weiner's campaign video:

Tags: politics new york Anthony Weiner