Washington D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray participates in a rally on the government shutdown at the U.S. Capitol, October 9, 2013 in Washington, DC. The U.S. government shutdown is entering its ninth day as the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives remain gridlocked on funding the federal government. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

The speculation is over: Mayor Vincent Gray will seek reelection.

NBC4’s Tom Sherwood and WAMU’s Patrick Madden broke the news on Twitter, announcing that Gray picked up petitions from the D.C. Board of Elections this afternoon. He already has a campaign website and Twitter account.

In a letter to supporters, Gray declares “We are better off today than we were just three years ago.”

“I am running for reelection to build on the progress and achievements of our first term,” the letter continues. “We are accomplishing what we set out to do. Step by step, we are moving our city forward. We have built strong foundations. But our work is not done.”

Gray joins a crowded field of democratic challengers, including Councilmembers Muriel Bowser, Jack Evans, Vincent Orange and Tommy Wells, who will face off in the April primary. His campaign will formerly launch in January: “This is not the season when people want to hear from politicians. Now is the time for family, friends and celebration.”

The mayor’s 2010 campaign has come under intense scrutiny for an alleged shadow campaign run by businessman Jeffrey Thompson. Ron Machen, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, recently said that a probe into the campaign has been stalled by “challenges and obstacles.”

“It’s not like we’ve been looking at this for three years and there’s no there there,” he explained. “I mean, there’s there there, and we’re trying to gather information, we’re trying to get documents, and we’re trying to talk to people.”

Gray has long denied any wrongdoing.

Update: Here’s Wells’ statement on Gray’s reelection.

“Vince Gray was elected under false pretenses and doesn’t deserve a second chance because he ran a corrupt campaign. I’ve known Vince Gray for years and I’m disappointed that he let me down—and everyone in D.C. down.”

And Bowser: “I was the first person to announce that I am a candidate for Mayor of the District of Columbia. I did it because I believed passionately about the future of our city and the tremendous opportunity that we have to improve education, build more affordable housing, and to bring real economic development and jobs to all parts of the city. I have always said that it did not matter who was in the race. And that has not changed. Now that Mayor Gray is seeking re-election, he will have to end his silence and answer the many legal questions about his 2010 campaign. My only hope is that all of the candidates give residents what they deserve – an honest and ethical campaign that is about the many issues that make our city a proud place to live.”

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