BALTIMORE (AP) - The man who suddenly found himself mayor of Baltimore, after the previous mayor resigned in a scandal, announced on Tuesday that he plans to run for the office.

Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young previously said he would not run, but in an interview Tuesday with The Baltimore Sun , Young said he changed his thinking.

“There have been a lot of challenges since I was sworn in April 1,” Young said. “I’ve had a strong team that is very wise and capable. I decided I want to run because there’s a lot of things I want to accomplish.”

Catherine Pugh resigned as mayor in May amid a scandal and multiple investigations into the lucrative sales of her self-published children’s books. Young, who was city council president, automatically became mayor.

Young said he wants to build a new courthouse, implement new career advancement training for city employees and address racial equity.

His campaign said Young was boosted last week by a strong fundraiser from business leaders, restaurateurs and developers. Young raised more than $250,000 during the week.

“The business community can see we are on the cusp of a renaissance in Baltimore,” Young said. “I believe I’m the person to do it. I’ve proven I can run the city of Baltimore. I have the experience as a city councilman, council president and as mayor.”

Democratic City Council President Brandon Scott is among more than a dozen others who have also said they’re running for mayor.

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Information from: The Baltimore Sun, http://www.baltimoresun.com

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