Perez Williams leads Balter ahead of Democratic congressional primary

Juanita Perez Williams is leading the Democratic primary race in the 24th Congressional District, according to a Spectrum News/Siena College poll released Wednesday.

Despite Perez Williams’ late entry to the race, the poll shows Perez Williams ahead of Dana Balter by 13 points among likely Democratic voters. Almost a quarter of voters surveyed hadn’t made up their minds before the June 26 vote.

The poll also found that Perez Williams, a Syracuse lawyer who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2017, is 23 percentage points ahead of Balter in the 18-34 age group. She also leads among both male and female voters.

Balter is eight points behind Perez Williams among voters outside Syracuse.

Both Democrats are vying for a chance to defeat two-term incumbent Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) in the November general election. The district includes all of Cayuga, Onondaga and Wayne counties, and parts of Oswego County.

 The poll surveyed 513 likely Democratic voters. It has a margin of error of 4.5 percent.  

Locally, Democrats have expressed support for Balter, who is a visiting assistant teaching professor at Syracuse University. Perez Williams entered the race in April after being backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, according to The New York Times. The DCCC, the Democratic Party’s main committee for electing Democratic House candidates, is supporting Perez Williams as part of its “Red to Blue” program to flip Republican House seats nationwide.