For the fall 2013 election,  the Onondaga County Republican Committee in August put forward Kevin Kuehner as its mayoral candidate. But Kuehner told The Post-Standard/Syracuse.com that he is a placeholder who will not campaign for the office.  The GOP has struggled to find a candidate for Syracuse mayor. It rejected Ian Hunter, who will run as the Conservative Party candidate.  To hold a place on the ballot for the party if it finds a candidate, the GOP first put up its chairman, Tom Dadey. But Dadey had to drop off even as a placeholder candidate when he moved out of the city. The party has until late September to fill its ballot line with a candidate. 

Kuehner is expected to drop off the ballot before election day on Nov. 5, as he said he does not intend to actually campaign for the race. If that happens, it will be the first time in more than 100 years that Republicans will not have a mayoral candidate in Syracuse.