ROME, N.Y. (WKTV) - Incumbent James Brown and opponent Joseph Fusco will meet again after running against each other in a close Rome mayoral race in 2003.

Mayor Brown is on the Republican and Independence lines, but he is hoping to beat out Fusco for the Conservative line, as well.

"It's important, because anytime you can get a line like the Independence line or the Conservative line, it means a lot to the campaign," says Mayor Brown. "What it does, is it is going to give us more momentum going into the election in November."

Brown has held the office of Rome Mayor for the past eight years.

Even if Fusco does not win the Conservative line nomination, he will still be on the ballot in November as a candidate from the "Rome is Home" Party.

"I won't give up," Fusco said. "I care too much about these people."

Fusco has been meeting residents all across Rome as he works to to gain support.

"You got to get out and see the people and listen to the people," says Fusco. "You have to be on the ground to know what the city needs."

If Fusco does become mayor, he already knows the first issue he will address.

"Kids are getting out of college and are not able to find jobs here and are leaving. That is very heartbreaking," Fusco says. "Their kids leave and the next thing you know, they are having kids a thousand two, three, four thousand miles away."

If Brown is elected to another term, he is ready to hit the ground running.

"The next four years, the focus is going to be canal development and position it as a bowl area, a Brownfield land area," Brown said. "So, now we have been talking with potential developers. So that's going to be the next four years."

The deadline to file a petition has already passed, so there will be no democratic candidate on the ballot in November.