© 2024 WRVO Public Media
NPR News for Central New York
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

2 navy veterans, CNY natives, among Democrats vying to challenge Katko

Facebook
Roger Misso and Francis Conole.

Central New York Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) already has a few challengers seeking the Democratic nomination to run against him in 2020. Two of the candidates, Roger Misso and Francis Conole, are navy veterans and central New York natives, who recently returned to the area.

Misso, 31, grew up in Red Creek between Wayne and Cayuga counties. He served in the U.S. Navy for about ten years. He was a naval flight officer deployed twice to the Middle East.

“Flew one of the first missions to combat ISIS as a mission commander, which was a very rewarding experience,” Misso said.

He’s been a victim advocate for sexual assault, speech writer at the Pentagon, cyber warfare officer and congressional defense assistant. He transitioned off active duty, moved to Syracuse with his family and has decided to run for Congress.

“This community sent me to serve in the U.S. Navy at the naval academy and now I’m back home because I believe this is the best place to raise my family and continue that service,” Misso said.

Residents in the 24th Congressional District, he said, deserve a leader that will put their needs ahead of the billionaires, big corporations and political insiders that fund campaigns.   

“I am running to bring a new generation of servant leadership to Congress,” Misso said. “From what I see out of Congress and career politicians in Washington D.C., they’ve forgotten about us.”

Misso is promising not to accept corporate PAC money in his campaign. Francis Conole is making the same pledge. Conole, who grew up in Westvale outside of Syracuse, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy a few months before September 11.

“I was on one of our warships, heading over to the Middle East, in charge of almost 50 sailors, carrying about 2,000 marines, jets and missiles,” Conole said. “I would go on to deploy a number of times to the region.”

Conole’s last assignment at the Pentagon was working as a Middle East policy advisor for the secretary of defense. He also recently moved back to Syracuse and sees running for Congress as an extension of his service.

“What we’re seeing at the national level and coming out of Washington, is not in line with many of the values I’ve fought for,” Conole said. “In this district, a lot of what the current representation is doing is not adequately serving the needs of this district.”  

Conole and Misso have met and talked a few months back. Conole said he thinks it is a good thing that many veterans are entering political and public service, because they see it as a calling.

“They’re kind of running towards the fire,” Conole said. “I don’t think the chaos is serving America, much less upstate New York. I think the rhetoric is not something upstate New Yorkers appreciate.”

Dana Balter, the Democratic candidate who lost to Katko last year by five percentage points, announced last week she is running again. She said primaries can be healthy for democracy.

“It gives us an opportunity to discuss really important issues that affect people’s lives,” Balter said. “I’m looking forward to those conversations and may the best woman win!”

As for Katko, he said he’s focused on his job for now, and will have more to say about the campaign in 2020.

“The primary isn’t for another year from now,” Katko said. “I don’t even know who my opponent is going to be. It may not be any of them. Between now and then, there is a lot of real estate to traverse.”

The 24th Congressional district includes all of Onondaga, Cayuga and Wayne counties and the western part of Oswego County.

Tom Magnarelli is a reporter covering the central New York and Syracuse area. He joined WRVO as a freelance reporter in 2012 while a student at Syracuse University and was hired full time in 2015. He has reported extensively on politics, education, arts and culture and other issues around central New York.