SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- One of the republican candidates in the 50th district senate race is quickly gaining a lot of momentum.  

Onondaga County Comptroller Bob Antonacci hopes to win the seat being vacated by longtime Republican Senator John DeFrancisco this November. 

Antonacci was endorsed by the Onondaga County Conservative party Thursday.

That comes just a couple days after the Independence party through its support behind Antonacci.

Van Buren Town Board member Rick Zaccaria also backed out of the race and endorsed Antonacci. 

The county's GOP committee says its important for the party to hold onto this seat.    

"If we let the democrats control the senate. They will control the Assembly.  Most likely they will control the governor's office and the last time that happened in 2009 it was disastrous for Upstate New York," said Onondaga County Republican Committee Chairman Tom Dadey.  

Syracuse city councilman Joe Carni and attorney Rick Guy are also running for the republican nomination.  

Dadey says the republican party plans to publicly endorse a candidate next Thursday.