U.S. Rep. John McHugh sits in his Washington office amid boxes in anticipation of moving to a different office in December 2006. (Enterprise photo — Jacob Resneck)

On Tuesday, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, was endorsed for reelection by the former secretary of the Army and Republican North Country representative, John M. McHugh.

McHugh served as the representative for the North Country from 1993 to 2009. During that time, he was a member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, two committees on which Stefanik now sits.

“(Elise Stefanik’s) leadership as a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, to counter foreign aggression from China and Russia, along with her prioritization of force protection and military readiness, has made our troops at Fort Drum safer and better prepared,” McHugh said. “Her focus on military families and spousal support has made our community stronger and makes her the clear choice for reelection to continue serving the North Country.”

In his statement, McHugh also lauded Stefanik for her hand in designating Fort Drum as the preferred site for the East Coast Missile Defense Site, a project that was initiated by McHugh during his time in Congress.

McHugh, a Republican from Pierrepont Manor, left the congressional seat in 2009 when President Barack Obama appointed him secretary of the Army. His successor, Democrat Bill Owens of Plattsburgh, has endorsed Stefanik’s Democratic challenger Tedra Cobb of Canton.