ROCHESTER, N.Y. — There are three candidates facing off in the Democratic primary in the city of Rochester’s mayoral race.

“We want to continue and accelerate on the momentum that we built during the first term,” said Rochester Mayor Malik Evans, the incumbent in his first term.

“I want people to know that the only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. And we've worked steadily. We worked so hard to make sure that we create a Rochester that is a hope-filled city with an exciting future,” said Evans.

But the incumbent faces challenges.

“I decided to run because I know our city deserves better,” said Mary Lupien, a Rochester City Council member of five years. “We can just choose to do differently. And that's what gives me hope, is that if we have the political will, we can just do different. And for me, different looks like investing in our people.”   

Political newcomer and businessman Shashi Sinha is joining Lupien in challenging Evans in the primary. 

“I see that we can improve significantly if we really have the guts and desire to do it,” said Sinha.

He owns the Dartmouth House Inn and says his top campaign issues are housing, education and safety.

“If you are a repeat offender, I’m not for putting people in prison, no. Everybody needs a chance,” Sinha said. “And poverty has a lot to do with all of this, what’s happening. But if you are a repeat offender, if you don’t learn, there needs to be consequences.”

“We saw some of the largest number of homicides that we had seen in the history of Rochester, the largest number of shootings that we have seen in [Rochester’s] history. But over my tenure, we dipped below the 10-year average and, you know, cut shootings by 53%, which is a huge accomplishment,” said Evans. 

“We're spending disproportionately on enforcement after the fact than we aren’t preventing the problem,” said Lupien. “I think people have never felt less safe. It's never been harder to find a place to live. And I think our youth have never been in this kind of crisis that we're seeing.”

Those are differing views on where the city stands with its youth and where it’s headed. The mayor touts his programs, Sinha has an outside the box approach and Lupien offers a view from the inside as she works in the Rochester City School District.

“So, I really get a front row seat to the kinds of things that the kids are bringing to school every day. And it's tragic and traumatic, but it's problems that we can absolutely solve. It's just we're lacking the leadership and political will,” said Lupien.

“Our young people, we said, anybody that wants a job should be able to get one. We have more young people working in the city of Rochester than ever before,” said Evans. 

“We spend $1 billion in budget at RCSD, but we perform at the bottom of the list in New York state in terms of educational performance,” said Sinha. “That should not be happening. So, I'll be appointing a chief of education cabinet level position reporting directly to me.”

Sinha says change is coming. Lupien wants to see the city’s funds invested in its people and Evans wants to keep his administration’s momentum moving into a second term.

Evans is the Democratic party’s designated candidate.

Primary Day is Tuesday, June 24.