FORT ANN, N.Y. >> A New York town mayor who called people who vote for Democrats “retarded” says he will not step down and will run for re-election.

In an interview with The Post-Star of Glens Falls on Monday, Fort Ann Mayor Denis Langlois says he used a poor choice of words, but it’s what he believes.

Langlois posted the comments about voters on Facebook before Election Day, saying people should vote Republican and “keep America great.”

Fort Ann resident Katelyn White, who wrote a letter to the newspaper after Election Day, says Langlois should consider broadening his vocabulary and that he doesn’t represent the town.

The Ruderman Family Foundation, an organization that supports disability inclusion, says Langlois’ statement shows again how U.S. leaders fail to understand how such slurs impact people with disabilities and their families.