via New York State of Politics

Republican John Faso on Tuesday was endorsed by the Independence Party, given his candidacy a potentially valuable ballot line in the battleground in the Hudson Valley.

“Hands down, John Faso is the right choice for Congress. We share his vision for this district and this country, and know he will be an independent voice in Congress working to fix the dire problems we face as a nation,” said Frank MacKay, chairman of the Independence Party of New York State. “John Faso is precisely the kind of leader we need to take on the status quo in Washington.”

The Independence Party has been criticized for having a somewhat nebulous party platform and has been seen as a source of patronage over the years. The party’s name itself has confused some voters who have been under the impression they are registering as unaffiliated blanks or “independents.”

Faso, a former Assembly minority leader, is competing against five other Republican candidates for the GOP nomination in the 19th congressional district, which is being vacated by Rep. Chris Gibson at the end of the year.

On the Democratic side, three candidates have filed for the race: Zephyr Teachout, Will Yandik and John Patrick Kehoe.