WASHINGTON -- Only weeks after she lost the Syracuse mayor's race, House Democrats started recruiting Juanita Perez Williams to challenge U.S. Rep. John Katko in this year's mid-term election.

But after two months of flirting with the idea, Perez Williams says she has decided against launching a bid for Congress.

"While I'm very humbled to be asked, I'm going to sit this one out and support the designee," Perez Williams told syracuse.com in an interview.

"Early on, we were certainly talking about what we could do to make a good run at it," she said of a possible campaign for the 24th Congressional District seat. "But it's a huge undertaking for someone who has the energy and time to do it."

Perez Williams said she traveled to Washington, D.C., before Thanksgiving to meet with recruiters from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, who have been searching for a well-known candidate to challenge Katko.

Perez Williams said she met in Washington with five or six Democratic House members who encouraged her to run, and since then has received phone calls from a half-dozen additional members of Congress trying to persuade her to enter the race.

"They all came together and were calling me, telling me I could do this," she said. "My response was that I appreciate that, but I'm tired."

Perez Williams spent most of 2017 campaigning to win a Democratic primary for Syracuse mayor, followed by a four-way general election campaign that she lost to independent Ben Walsh, 54-28 percent.

But her campaign and life story of overcoming obstacles to become a successful lawyer impressed House Democrats who are looking for a well-known candidate to mount a strong challenge to Katko, R-Camillus.

Former Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner has been considering whether to jump into the race, launch a Democratic primary bid for governor, or stay out of political races this year.

Rep. Denny Heck, D-Wash, the top recruiter for the DCCC, told the National Journal last month that the party was pursuing a backup plan in case Miner decides against a campaign.

Heck said Katko's seat is among "only four meaningful holes" that national Democrats are trying to fill with strong, well-funded candidates. DCCC officials had no immediate comment Friday.

Perez Williams said she has not spoken with Miner about her plans, and did not know if the former mayor was still considering whether to become a candidate.

Two other Democrats -- Dana Balter and Anne Messenger -- have launched their campaigns for the party's designation. Both are new to politics.

Balter, 41, of Syracuse, is a visiting assistant teaching professor at Syracuse University who has been active with the CNY Solidarity Coalition, a grassroots group that formed in response to President Donald Trump's election last year. Messenger, 70, of Manlius, is an executive coach and consultant.

Perez Williams said she will support the candidate who receives the party's designation in February.

"Our party needs to rebuild and I want to help with that," she said.

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