Council Member Fernando Cabrera announced Thursday that he will challenge first-term Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for her seat.

Cabrera has served as the New York City Council member representing the 14th District in the Bronx since January 2010.

Cabrera tells News 12 he is a proud centrist. He says he has been more involved in the local community than Ocasio-Cortez.

Cabrera says Ocasio-Cortez has not done enough to create jobs and cited her support of Amazon's decision not to open up a new headquarters in New York City.

The councilman says his campaign officially kicked off on Thursday. Cabrera says he is working on gathering grassroot support across the 14th District. This includes parts of the Bronx and Queens.

Several Republicans have already announced their intentions to run against Ocasio-Cortez. Cabrera is the first Democrat to announce a challenge to the freshman lawmaker.

In a statement, Cabrera said in part, "My entire life has been dedicated to the service of our community and our merciful God. With today's announcement, I am taking the next step on that journey as I seek to represent the under-represented voters of the 14th Congressional District."

Ocasio-Cortez won the last primary by defeating veteran politician Joe Crowley. She gained national attention for her support of the Green New Deal addressing climate change and economic inequality.