By CRAIG FREILICH

Democrats who are seeking the endorsement of county party chairs for a run for Congress in the 21st District have until next Tuesday to inform the leaders.

The Democratic party chairs of the 12 counties in the district discussed the matter in a conference call yesterday and will do so again next week to sort through several candidates who have expressed an interest.

“We want to endorse a credible, electable candidate,” said Washington County Democratic Chair Sheila Comar after yesterday’s conference.

“We’ve only had two weeks so far” since Democrat Bill Owens of Plattsburgh announced he wasn’t seeking re-election, and the start of collecting signatures on nominating petitions begins in about four weeks, while the Republicans, who have at least three announced seekers of the GOP candidacy, have had a year and a half to find a standard-bearer, Comar said.

The Democratic leadership would rather be able to interview those who want the nomination and endorse a candidate to represent Democrats in the election in November and avoid a primary pitting Democrats against each other to decide who will run.

“Everybody would rather not” have a primary race, Comar said, “that would be ideal, because a primary is a little hard” on the effort to get a candidate elected, and because “it takes funds from the general election.”

New York’s 21st Congressional District includes St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Lewis, Hamilton, Herkimer, Franklin, Clinton, Essex, Fulton, Warren, Washington and Saratoga counties.