Former New York City comptroller William C. Thompson Jr. says that despite public skepticism, he’s definitely running for mayor in 2013. By mid-January, he had raised just under $900,000, which is less than half of what his anticipated rivals for the Democratic nomination had accumulated, and those numbers in combination with his low visibility have other political figures questioning his dedication to the race. Thompson rebuts, “I’m confident that I’m going to be able to raise the money that’s necessary to run a strong campaign and to max out.” New York Times reports on the story:

William C. Thompson Jr. has heard all the questions. Is he really running for mayor next year? Can he raise enough money to compete in a crowded primary? Does he have the burning desire that it takes to mount an aggressive campaign?

The answer to all of these, Mr. Thompson says, is yes. But as he ramps up his campaign, his first task is persuading skeptics that he is really in it.

Mr. Thompson, a former comptroller who was the Democratic nominee for mayor in 2009, enters the 2013 race with considerable advantages. He ran strongly in the 2009 election, surprising many political experts by coming within five percentage points of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. As the only African-American candidate, and possibly the only minority candidate, in the probable 2013 field, Mr. Thompson is also in a unique position to benefit from the growing majority of black, Hispanic and Asian-American voters in the city.

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