Democratic Party in Syracuse undergoing critical assessment, according to Sharon Owens
In the upcoming 2025 Syracuse mayoral election, an unexpected twist has emerged as two Democrats have decided to run as independents, joining the incumbent Ben Walsh and three other candidates on the ballot.
Sharon Owens, who won the Democratic primary with an impressive 60% of the vote, has expressed confidence that she will prevail in November. However, her path to victory may be complicated by the presence of these two independent Democrats.
Owens, who was also endorsed by the Democratic Party and the Working Families Party, has been a vocal advocate for unity within the Democratic Party. She has been meeting with Democratic Party leadership and other Democrats within the party to bridge the gap and bring both sides together.
If Owens wins in November, she would make history as the first Black mayor of Syracuse and only the second woman to lead the city. Her platform emphasizes fairness, equity, and a forward-looking message that appeals not only to registered Democrats but also to independent and unaffiliated voters.
Meanwhile, Ben Walsh, who has been the mayor for the last two terms, has already beaten the Democratic candidates in both 2017 and 2021 mayoral elections. Despite his success, the Syracuse Democratic Party did not endorse him in either election.
This pattern of the Syracuse Democratic Party endorsing candidates who have lost in primary elections, as illustrated by the cases of Sharon Owens and Pat Hogan, is rooted in strategic party unity and electoral considerations rather than strict adherence to primary outcomes. The party's endorsements aim to maintain cohesion, maximize electability in general elections, and ensure that the party’s broader coalition remains intact.
This approach reflects a common rationale in American politics, where party leadership may endorse candidates who lost primaries to maintain cohesion and ensure electoral success over purely honoring primary results. This balancing act between democratic nomination processes and pragmatic electoral strategies is a complex one, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out in the Syracuse mayoral race.
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