SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Ben Walsh became Syracuse’s first Independent Party mayor Tuesday night.

And with the Democratic Party candidate, Juanita Perez Williams, conceding Tuesday night to Walsh, what does that mean for the party in Syracuse?

Mark English, the chair of the Onondaga County Democratic Committee says he believes it was just a setback, and that the party always gets back up.

"I know that everyone feels like we should commit suicide or leave town because we lost the mayor's office, but New York City went without a Democratic mayor for 16 years,” said English. “I think the party will survive. It was a blow."

The last non-majority candidate that was elected Syracuse mayor was 104 years ago, in 1913.