SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Democratic Party leaders from four counties denounced "D.C. meddling" in the race for the 24th Congressional district a day after Juanita Perez Williams unexpectedly joined the race.

In a joint statement, chairs of the Cayuga, Onondaga, Oswego and Wayne County Democratic Committees said the national party is ignoring the grassroots work being done at the local level in the Congressional race.

"From people engaged for the very first time this year, to party and elected officials we stand united behind our designated nominee Dana Balter and against the DC meddling that has hampered far too many races thus far," the statement reads.

The local parties' ire is aimed at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the campaign arm of House Democrats. That group has spent nearly a year searching for a high-profile candidate to run against Republican John Katko in the 24th.

The DCCC courted former Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner last year as well as Perez Williams.

Yesterday, party leaders say Perez Williams told them she planned to run for the seat. Her entrance in the race comes about five weeks after the party met to interview candidates and endorsed Dana Balter.

Onondaga County Democratic Committee Chairman Mark English said yesterday the announcement came as a surprise. Perez Williams had said in January she wouldn't run.

Many Democratic leaders are concerned Perez Williams' presence in the race could further fracture the party heading into the November election.

Perez Williams has made no public statements since news broke late Tuesday that she is circulating petitions to run for Congress. She has not officially announced she is running. She has not responded to calls Tuesday or Wednesday.

Perez Williams has until April 12 to collect the 1,250 petition signatures needed to get a line on the primary ballot in June. She will have to do so without party support. She faced the same challenge last year while running for mayor and was able to handily collect enough signatures.

Here's the full statement from the four county Democratic chairs:

"The recent DCCC actions in NY24 are unfortunately just the latest example of not taking into account the work happening at the grassroots this year. From people engaged for the very first time this year, to party and elected officials we stand united behind our designated nominee Dana Balter and against the D.C. meddling that has hampered far too many races thus far. We call on DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) and all staff involved to speak to the people doing work on the ground and focus our collective energy and resources, like we have been for over a year, in unseating Trump-Ryan Republicans like John Katko."

Ian Phillips, Cayuga County Democratic Chair

Mark English, Onondaga Democratic Chair

Gordie Prosser, Oswego Democratic Chair

Mark Alquist, Wayne County Democratic Chair