SYRACUSE, NY - Syracuse Common Councilor Joseph Nicoletti today suspended his mayoral campaign and endorsed his opponent, Juanita Perez Williams.

Perez Williams, a former Corporation Counsel, last week beat Nicoletti and City Auditor Mary Masterpole in the Democratic primary.

Nicoletti might remain on the ballot as the nominee for the Working Families Party. He, however, will not campaign.

"I'm here to say that I am suspending our campaign," Nicoletti said. He encouraged his supporters to embrace Perez Williams and other Democrats running for office. "I would hope that those that believe in my message, those that believe in a better Syracuse, will come on board."

He made the announcement at Perez Williams' campaign headquarters.

Ken Warner, upstate political director for the Working Families Party, said the party is exploring legal options by which Nicoletti could be removed from the ballot. If he remains on, the party will urge its members and supporters to vote for Perez Williams on the Democratic line.

"We are looking at ways to have him decline the nomination," Warner said. "Usually he has to die or move to Alaska. We can't have him do either."

Warner said there is some legal precedent for removing a candidate and the party will be submitting paperwork to the state election board soon.

Perez Williams thanked Nicoletti for a spirited campaign and for his decades of public service.

"We owe a great deal of gratitude to Joe," Perez Williams said.

Nicoletti returned the praise, and took a moment to extol all those who enter public service.

Nicoletti, who turns 70 in November, has been working in government in various capacities since the late 1970s. He has about two months left on his term on the Common Council. He said he hasn't decided what he will do next.

"You can sneer at it all you want. Public service is the most wonderful profession," he said. "We're doing the work of the people. And I'm going to continue to do that as a private citizen come January."