Dana Balter has won the 24th Congressional District Democratic primary over challenger Juanita Perez Williams.

She has won Onondaga County 62 percent to 38 percent and Balter is ahead by similar margins in the other three counties that make up the district.

She faces U.S. Rep. John Katko, a Republican, in November. Katko, 55, of Camillus, is running for his third term. He is a former federal prosecutor.

The race turned into a battle between local Democrats - who backed Balter - and the national party - which backed Perez Williams.

Perez Williams, 54, is a Syracuse lawyer who ran unsuccessfully for Syracuse mayor last year. She lives in the Strathmore neighborhood in Syracuse.

Balter, 42, is a visiting assistant teaching professor at Syracuse University. She won the designation of the local Democratic Party committees earlier this year. She lives on the East Side of Syracuse.

Balter became the party's designated candidate this spring after going through the organized Democratic Party committee process in the four counties that make up the 24th Congressional District. She has never before been on the ballot.

Perez Williams said she did not believe Balter's campaign was gaining enough traction or money to defeat Katko in November. Katko started the year with $1 million in the bank, while Balter had raised $46,600.

Perez Williams jumped into the race in time to collect enough signatures to force Tuesday's primary.

Perez Williams had forced an upset before. She defeated the party's designated candidate - Joe Nicoletti - in last year's Democratic primary for Syracuse mayor.

That gave her name recognition.

She also had the attention of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which is targeting the 24th Congressional District as a chance to gain control of the House in this year's mid-term election.

The 24th Congressional District covers all of Onondaga, Cayuga and Wayne counties and part of Oswego County.

Check back for complete results and reaction from the candidates.

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