Owens and Aubertine in D.C.

Rep. Bill Owens and Darrel Aubertine, the state Department of Agriculture and Markets commissioner, took time out of a meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. to pose for this ag-focused photo op.

The two men have plenty in common: north country Democrats who won legislative seats in districts that hadn't been blue in generations. Mr. Aubertine is the former state senator in the 48th District, before being beaten by now-state Sen. Patty RItchie, R-Heuvelton. Mr. Aubertine is from Cape Vincent, and was tapped to serve in Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration after he left the Senate.

Mr. Owens is seeking his second full term to Congress in November. He sits on his chamber's committee on agriculture.