Standing in front of a room full of supporters, Dana Balter announced that she would run again for representative of New York’s 24th Congressional District on Tuesday evening.

Balter, a former Syracuse University visiting assistant teaching professor, lost her first campaign for the House of Representatives to three-time incumbent Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) last November. The 24th Congressional District includes Onondaga County, as well as all of Cayuga and Wayne Counties and some of Oswego County.

“It’s time to flip the 24th and give central and western New York the representation it deserves,” Balter said. “And that’s why I’m standing with you tonight to announce my candidacy for Congress.”

Balter said that her younger brother — who has disabilities — serves as her inspiration for running. Her brother Jonathan showed her the value of advocacy at a young age, she said.

“He taught me that we’re stronger when everyone is included,” Balter said. “So, I’ve spent my life pushing our society toward that goal.”

After her first campaign, Balter started a nonpartisan organization that focuses on civic engagement, and she worked in special education with a nonprofit that supported adults with cognitive disabilities. She also earned her Ph.D.and taught at SU’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Balter lost her first run for Congress in 2018, earning 47% of the vote versus Katko’s 53%.

Balter said in her speech on Tuesday that she aimed to run an inclusive campaign based on support for public education and fair wages for the working class, as well as climate change, health care and gun reform.

Throughout her campaign announcement at the PressRoom Pub in downtown Syracuse, Balter positioned her platform in opposition to policies she attributed to Katko and President Donald Trump. At several points, she criticized what she referred to as Katko’s affiliation with the president.

“John Katko, Donald Trump and the Republican party believe in a world where the rules benefit the powerful few and everyday Americans are on their own,” Balter said. “I stand with you.”

She frequently described her campaign as one that will work for voters and against lobbyists in big industries, such as the fossil fuel industry. Balter also advocated for sustainability measures at the federal level and preserving social services like Medicare and Medicaid for the elderly and people with disabilities.

“We are taking our government and our politics back,” Balter said. “We’re going to finish what we started.”

Published on April 16, 2019 at 11:04 pm

Contact Mary: mdcatalf@syr.edu | @mrycatalfamo