UPDATED: Sept. 18, 2017 at 5:52 p.m.

Joe Nicoletti, a mayoral candidate who lost last week’s Democratic primary, dropped out of the race Monday and endorsed Juanita Perez Williams for mayor of Syracuse.

The common councilor said previously he would consider staying in the race as a Working Families Party candidate. The party endorsed him earlier this year.

Perez Williams beat Nicoletti and city auditor Marty Masterpole in the Democratic primary last week.

Both Nicoletti and Ken Warner, the upstate region political director for the Working Families Party, endorsed Perez Williams at Monday’s press conference.

Nicoletti said he will continue his work in public service as a private citizen in January. He did not say whether he would return to the Syracuse Common Council.

“I haven’t thought beyond this afternoon,” he said.

Perez Williams accepted the endorsements of Nicoletti and the Working Families Party, according to a joint press release from Nicoletti and Perez Williams.

“Instead of tearing them down, we should be congratulating them,” Nicoletti said about supporting his former political opponent.

Nicoletti was asked about Perez Williams’ position on policing, which drew controversy this summer when she suggested the city hire only the budgeted number of police rather than restoring the department to its former numbers as he suggested.

“Our campaigns have had discussions and I believe we’re all going to be on the same page about that issue,” he said. He refused to elaborate further.

Perez Williams’ remaining opponents are Republican Laura Lavine, Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins and independent Ben Walsh.

The general election is on Nov. 7.

The story has been updated for appropriate style.

Published on September 18, 2017 at 12:26 pm

Contact Kennedy: krose100@syr.edu | @KennedyRose001