Raymond Louie paid homage to his roots by choosing a restaurant in Chinatown to launch his bid for Vancouver's top job Sunday.

Surrounded by supporters from the Chinese community, Louie told the crowd about the travails of his parents as they laboured in the historical neighbourhood.

"My mother was a seamstress who worked extremely long hours, my father was a cook who laboured at many different restaurants," said Louie.

But Louie said he was counting on his experience as a Vision Vancouver councillor to win.

"I think I have the best record on council and that's what people have told me," he said. "I've gone to every neighbourhood around this city and they've encouraged me to run and that's why I'm doing this."

Louie is the latest challenger to Mayor Sam Sullivan. But Louie will have to first win his party's backing -- a victory that isn't guaranteed, as Vancouver Fairview NDP MLA Gregor Robertson and Park Board Commissioner Allan De Genova are also in the running.

Election watchers think Louie's two terms as a councillor will be a boost, but centre-left parties -- the Coalition of Progressive Electors and Vision Vancouver -- could end up spreading the vote too thin.

"The bigger problem Raymond Louie has is whether Vision is going to be able to make any accommodation with COPE," said Simon Fraser University political science professor Patrick Smith. "Because if both COPE and Vision run candidates, neither of them have a chance."

Mayor Sam Sullivan is fending off a challenge within his own party from Councillor Peter Ladner.

At St. Patrick's Day celebrations, Sullivan took shots at the crowded pool of mayor wanna-bes, hinting that the 2010 Olympics could be the reason there are so many challengers.

"It's very attractive to some people to be able to wave the flag and meet kings and queens and presidents during those 17 days," he said. "I am not running to be the mayor for three weeks. I want to be the mayor for three years."

That's the kind of spirit that political experts say Sullivan's opponents will have to watch out for, said Smith

"I think people underestimate him. He's a good political fighter. It's his job and people are going to have to take it away from him," said Smith.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Jina You