With Conservative Party candidate and Tea Party favorite Doug Hoffman announcing earlier today that he is dropping out of the race in the 23rd Congressional District, Rep. Bill Owens says North Country residents now have a "clear choice."

Owens is now facing Republican challenger Matt Doheny, who beat Hoffman in the GOP primary earlier this month. Hoffman's name will remain on the ballot on the Conservative Party line. Some observers had believed Hoffman would have been the "spoiler" in the race, splitting the Republican vote and giving Owens a victory the GOP would have otherwise won.

"Upstate New York has a clear choice this November," said Owens in a prepared statement. "While I’ve spent decades helping to create over 2,000 jobs and have made job creation and economic development my number one priority in Congress, Matt Doheny has different priorities."

He continued, "I've supported tax breaks for companies that create jobs here in Upstate New York, not overseas, and want to strengthen Social Security for current and future generations.

"As a banker on Wall Street, Matt Doheny helped corporations issue millions of dollars in bonuses while laying off hundreds of workers. He supports tax breaks for companies that ship American jobs overseas and has even called for cutting Social Security.

"Upstate New York can’t afford Matt Doheny, and we’re going to make sure New Yorkers understand the dangers of his agenda over the next four weeks.”