He may have lost public support locally, but New Plymouth's mayor is gaining new supporters from around the country.

Andrew Judd has announced he won't be seeking re-election this year - sighting his support for Maori affairs as a reason he is no longer popular.

However, since his Thursday night announcement, a Facebook page titled the 'Andrew Judd Fan Club' has attracted nearly 6,000 members.

In a video posted to the page today, Mr Judd has thanked supporters and urged them to continue the fight against racism.

"Let's begin a journey together, because hey, it's just begun. This isn't over. We need to challenge this Aotearoa. Let's fight racism as one."

SEE ALSO: Josh Price: Andrew Judd tried to help the minority, and it's led to his downfall