Former Rep. Bill Owens on Tuesday formally endorsed fellow Democrat Tedra Cobb for the seat he vacated in 2014. 

Owens is the last Democrat to hold the North Country House seat which had historically been a GOP-held district. 

“I am pleased to announce my endorsement of Tedra Cobb in the November election to the House of Representatives from New York’s 21st Congressional District," Owens said in a statement. "As the former Democratic Member of Congress in NY-21, I know how important it is to elect someone who understands the issues facing our communities and who has a proven record of working across the aisle to get things done."

Owens won the district in a special election in 2009 and retired at the end of his second full term. 

Stefanik won the seat in 2014, becoming the youngest woman in Congress and has represented the sprawling upstate House seat for the last three terms. 

She has emerged as a prominent defender and supporter of President Donald Trump amid the impeachment process earlier this year.  

"When the North Country votes this November they have a clear choice: Elise Stefanik who has become Party focused ignoring the concerns of a large portion of her constituents or they can choose Tedra who worked across the aisle to pass a tough ethics law, to lower the cost of prescription drugs, and to help struggling families with home heating assistance," Owens said. "For me, the choice is clear."

The Stefanik campaign in response released a statement blasting the record of both Cobb and Owens. 

“We assume this is the same Bill Owens who never cracked 50 percent of the vote? The same Bill Owens who endorsed every losing Democratic candidate that Congresswoman Stefanik handily beat in every campaign? The same Bill Owens who was the deciding vote leading to the disastrous Obamacare that Congresswoman Stefanik has worked to fix? The same Bill Owens who voted for Nancy Pelosi for Speaker? The same Bill Owens who supported Andrew Cuomo for Governor?" the campaign said in a statement released by spokeswoman Maddie Anderson. 

“Congresswoman Stefanik is running on her strong record of delivering results for North County families, farmers, veterans, small businesses, manufacturers, seniors, military families, and law enforcement. She is rated in the top 5% most bipartisan Members of Congress. North Country voters rejected Taxin' Tedra Cobb last election when she lost by the largest margin of any Democrat Congressional candidate in the entire Northeast. Voters will overwhelmingly reject the Cuomo clone, gun-banning, anti-police, anti-military, pro-rioters and looters, Taxin' Tedra Cobb once again this November."