Republican Ralph Ambrosio is throwing his hat in the ring for Albany County District Attorney.

Ambrosio started his career as a state trooper back in 1977, earning his law degree while on the job. He also worked as the assistant district attorney in Greene and Columbia counties.

Ambrosio sat down with NewsChannel 13 for a one-on-one interview.

“I’m often asked, ‘Why are you running?'” he said. “It takes a lot for a person like me to come out of the shadows, to be frank. I’m a practitioner. I’m a trial attorney. I have been in county courts. I have sent people to prison> I have defended people. I defended a 21-year-old Black Marine who was accused of raping a 14-year-old white girl. I had the ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ experience, and I won.”

Ambrosio will make his campaign announcement in front of the Albany County District Attorney’s Office in downtown Albany at 4:30 Thursday afternoon.