SU Professor Dana Balter leads Democratic race to challenge Rep. John Katko
UPDATED: Sunday, Feb. 25 at 9:49 p.m.
Syracuse University Professor Dana Balter is now the frontrunner in a Democratic push to upset Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) in congressional midterm elections this fall.
Balter, a visiting assistant teaching professor at SU, clinched the Onondaga County Democratic Committee’s congressional designation on Saturday. Balter did not respond to a request for comment Saturday.
I'm grateful for Onondaga County Democratic Committee's support & honored to carry the designation. The enthusiasm in the Teamsters' Hall mirrors what we're seeing across #NY24. People are energized to bring change for CNY & fix the dysfunction in DC. Let's get to work!
— Dana Balter (@dana_balter) February 25, 2018
Balter received 73 percent of committee member votes Saturday morning. She has now won the endorsements of all Democratic committees in the four counties that make up the 24th Congressional District, which Katko currently represents. Syracuse is part of the district.
The professor launched her campaign in September. Katko is a two-term incumbent who’s particularly unpopular among local activist groups for voting to approve the Republican Party’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Anne Messenger, Balter’s leading challenger, won 26 percent of the Onondaga committee’s vote Saturday. Scott Comegys, another challenger and a farmer in Wayne County, won 1 percent of the vote and announced on Sunday that he would be ending his campaign.
It’s unclear if Messenger, who helped found the Near Westside Initiative, plans on continuing her campaign. Messenger did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday.
Bill Bass, an environmental scientist and Democratic 24th Congressional District candidate, in a statement Saturday said he would continue his campaign. Bass said he was “appalled” by county designation processes, calling it “an archaic, undemocratic system.”
Dan Lyon | Staff Photographer
Four committees, in the last month, have endorsed Balter: Democrats in Cayuga, Onondaga, Oswego and Wayne counties. Balter also received the endorsement of New York state’s progressive Working Families Party on Friday. If a Democratic primary is needed, it will be held June 26.
“I teach courses in citizenship and policy and administration and democracy. And I’ve decided to run for Congress because Donald Trump threatens everything I teach my students,” Balter said during an Onondaga County Democratic Committee forum earlier this month. “We have a congressperson here who refuses to stand up and speak against that.”
This post has been updated with additional reporting.