Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi officially announced Saturday that he is running for governor of New York.

The Democrat from Long Island challenges state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer for the nomination. Suozzi says he knows he is the underdog and won't be relying on a 25 percent delegate vote to secure a spot on the September primary ballot. Suozzi says some of his top issues are property taxes and school funding.

Reginald Lafayette, leader of the Westchester County's Democratic Party, says Suozzi?s work in Nassau County doesn?t prepare him to head the state. While many Democratic Party officials may not be standing with him, Suozzi was pleasantly surprised by the response when he visited Westchester a few weeks ago. Both Democrats will also be running against GOP candidate John Faso.