In a joint statement, the Democratic chairmen in the 11 counties in the 23rd district said they were “all invested” in selecting the best possible candidate to fill the expected vacancy created by McHugh’s nomination to be secretary of the Army.

The chairmen said they would accept applications until July 17 and said the package must include: a résumé, a cover letter or personal statement, a description of the candidate’s priority issues and positions on issues of primary interest to the voters in the 23rd district, a description of the candidate’s ability to raise money and self-fund a campaign, a description of the candidate’s party affiliation and voting history, and a description of the candidate’s outreach efforts to party officials and other community leaders.

Although Republicans have held the upstate seat for generations, the race to replace McHugh is widely regarded as a pure toss-up. As of now, state Sen. Darrel Aubertine appears to have the right of first refusal for the Democratic nomination.