Salina Town Supervisor Nick Paro is joining the race for a state Senate seat in Central New York in 2024.

The Republican announced Thursday he will seek the seat representing New York’s 50th state Senate District, which includes Syracuse’s northern, western and eastern suburbs, as well as Central Square and the cities of Fulton and Oswego. The seat is being vacated by Democratic state Sen. John Mannion, who is running for Congress.

A Syracuse University College of Law graduate, Paro has worked as a legislative aide and analyst for the Onondaga County Legislature before being elcted to the Salina Town Board.

He was then elected town supervisor in 2021 and was recently re-elected to another term in November. More recently, he has been a local vocal critic of the state's handling of the ongoing migrant influx.

"We will keep our communities safe and help them thrive. Together, we will work to save our jobs and revive local business, making living easier and more affordable. And, together, we will elevate the priorities of Central New Yorkers above the greed of downstate bureaucrats," Paro said.

Paro joins Republican Onondaga County Legislature Chairman James Rowley, and Democratic state Assemblyman Al Stirpe and former Oswego County Legislature Minority Leader Tom Drumm in seeking the seat.

The 50th state Senate District was long held by Republican John DeFrancisco before his retirement in 2018. It was then filled by Republican Bob Antonacci before he sought and won a judgeship. Mannion won the seat in 2020 and was narrowly reelected in 2022. It has been a very competitive district over the last few cycles.