The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee announced confirmation hearings for U.S. Rep. John McHugh, R-Pierrepont Manor, will take place Thursday.

McHugh was nominated as secretary of the Army by President Obama in June.

Gov. David Paterson has said he will declare a date for a special election soon after McHugh is officially confirmed. He is widely expected to be approved quickly by the Senate, which means Paterson could set the election date for as early as September.

Meanwhile, State Sen. Darrel Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent, has not submitted his name for consideration to be the Democrats' pick to replace McHugh, ending weeks of speculation that he would receive the nomination.

"My priority must continue to be the work I have started in the state Senate, representing Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties," Aubertine said in a prepared statement Thursday. "Before I could even consider the possibility of serving another eight counties, I had a duty to finish out this year's session."

The National Republican Congressional Committee began running advertisements seeking to tie Aubertine to recent dysfunction in Albany and to failed fiscal policies before anyone had known whether he would officially submit his name for the nod.

The deadline for resumes from those interested in the Democratic nomination was Thursday. Munnsville resident Mike Oot and Watertown native Dan Francis, who have run against McHugh in the past, have both expressed an interest in running. Plattsburgh lawyer William Owens has also announced he will seek the nomination.

Jefferson County Democratic Committee Chairman Sean Hennessey did not return calls Friday inquiring about the status of other potential candidates.

Republicans in the district nominated Assemblywoman Deirdre Scozzafava, R-Gouverneur, Wednesday as their candidate for the impending special election.

Zach Subar covers rural Fulton County and southern Hamilton County news. He can be reached at ruralnews@leaderherald.com