SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Otis Jennings received the support of Syracuse Republicans in his bid to be the city's mayor. Jennings won his party's endorsement following a vote by the city committee Tuesday.

Jennings addressed the committee as a former city official who has a plan and a passion for Syracuse. His opponent, Steve Kimatian, also spoke, as a businessman who can put the city on a path to prosperity.

The Republican Party can only have one official candidate. And after the votes were counted, that candidate was Jennings.

"I'm thrilled and overjoyed. And I’m ready to run citywide to try to meet the needs of our people in this city. And try to make this city all its capable of becoming," Jennings said.

Jennings says he will now start a citywide campaign, even though he still faces a primary challenge in Kimatian. Kimatian says he'll continue on to appeal to his entire party.

"There are 13,000 Republican voters who will decide. Rather than let a few people decide who they want to be mayor or who they want to run on the Republican platform, we'll let the 13,000 decide," Kimatian said.

So far, there are also three democrats running for Syracuse mayor: Alfonso Davis, Stephanie Miner and Joe Nicoletti.