Marion Barry is now officially running for the D.C. Council's Ward 8 seat.

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ABC7's Sam Ford has confirmed with the D.C. Board of Elections that Barry has filed to run for his third consecutive term.

Barry, a 75-year-old Democrat who served four terms as mayor, says his top priorities are job training, placement and development.

Barry has represented Ward 8 since 2005, when he returned to the Council after six years away from politics.

He faces several challengers in the April Democratic primary. But Barry is beloved by many Ward 8 residents, and political observers say the Council seat likely will be his as long as he wants it.

In 1990, during his third term as mayor, Barry was videotaped smoking crack cocaine in an FBI sting operation. He served six months in federal prison.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.