MANHATTAN, N.Y. -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, now on his 24th year in the Senate, once again will be the nominee for the Democratic Party in New York.

Since taking office, he's visited all 62 counties every year, and those counties were represented at Thursday's state convention.

"Why do I do it? So I can hear what's on people's minds. And what have I heard constantly from people across New York for the last five years? I've heard a yearning for a bold change that will make their lives better," Schumer said.

Schumer, running for the first time as the Senate majority leader, propped up the Senate's recent accomplishments in his acceptance speech, including the passage of the American Rescue Plan and the confirmation of the most federal judges in an administration's first year since John F. Kennedy.

"A majority of new judges we have confirmed are women. A majority of new judges we have confirmed are people of color and a majority of new judges we have confirmed are public defenders, public interest lawyers, people focused on the community, not just prosecutors and people from the big law firms," he said.

While Schumer's message to Democrats is to stay the course, presumptive Republican nominee Joe Pinion said that course, overseen by the majority leader, has led to the outmigration of New Yorkers, as well as a rise in violent crime in cities across the country.

"Democrats have clearly decided that Chuck Schumer should continue the course, but for the 19 million and shrinking that call New York home, continuing on the same course we have been on is no longer an option," Pinion said.

He said he's appealing both to people on the left and right of the political spectrum who are tired of the status quo.

"Chuck Schumer's fingerprints are on everything that we find distasteful about our politics today and we believe we can build an uncommon coalition to have an uncommon outcome that builds on America and New York that works for we the people again," Pinion said.

Schumer, however, said there is more to do, including reversing Trump tax cuts, fixing the immigration system, more focus on the environment, delivering student debt relief and legalizing marijuana nationally.

"I am fighting the fight every single day," he said. "I tell people this is the hardest job I've ever had but I have more energy and more enthusiasm for it because it's so damn important and I won't quit until we win."