Update: Dana Balter plans to challenge Francis Conole for the Democratic spot on the ballot in a June primary.

Syracuse, N.Y. – Francis Conole today won the Democratic Party designation from Onondaga County, a huge boost toward securing a spot to run against Rep. John Katko, R-Camillus, this fall.

Conole, 41, an Iraq war veteran from Syracuse, won 54 percent of today’s vote from Onondaga County Democratic Committee.

“Together we are going to defeat John Katko in November,” Conole said when the results were announced just before noon. “Our party has such a great history,” he added. “We have led the fight on civil rights, healthcare, social security, Medicare, women’s rights and worker’s rights. And our fights continue.”

But the Democratic contest may not yet be over.

Dana Balter, the party’s pick in 2018, said she would decide later today whether to challenge Conole in a June primary.

Roger Misso, a Navy veteran from Syracuse who also has been seeking the party’s support, said he would make an announcement on Wednesday. He has endorsements from more than half a dozen current and former elected officials.

Conole won the party committee vote on the first round, meaning he got 54 percent in the three-way contest. Onondaga County Democratic Chairwoman Pam Hunter declined to say what percentages Misso and Balter got.

Both Misso and Balter briefly addressed the crowd of more than 200. “Let’s go get John Katko,” Balter said.

The three Democrats have been campaigning for 10 months. Balter, 43, an educator from Syracuse, has won the Democratic designation in Oswego County.

Conole already won the designation from Cayuga County. Today’s win bolsters his support among party officials: Onondaga County is home to 74 percent of the district’s registered Democrats. Wayne County Democrats declined to designate any candidate in the contest.

Conole started the year with about $250,000 cash on hand. Balter had about $223,000. Misso had about $130,000 in his campaign bank account.

Conole has picked up endorsements from more than a dozen elected officials in Central New York and the only labor union to endorse one of the candidates, Iron Workers Local 60.

Balter has the backing of local Democratic activist groups and national progressive groups that include EMILY’s List, the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Democracy for America. A dozen elected officials from Central New York have also endorsed her campaign.

In 2018, Balter won the Democratic Party designation in all four counties in the district. She was challenged in a primary election by Juanita Perez Williams, a Syracuse lawyer who was backed by the national party in Washington.

Balter won the primary election by more than 20 percentage points. But she lost to Katko by about 5 percentage points in the November election.

The 24th Congressional District covers all of Onondaga, Cayuga and Wayne counties and the western half of Oswego County, including the cities of Fulton and Oswego.

This is a developing story. Check back with syracuse.com for updates later today.