By Lauren W. Whittington, CQ-Roll Call

Rep. Jeb Hensarling on Friday endorsed a moderate Republican over the Conservative Party’s candidate in the upcoming special House election in upstate New York.

“I am supporting Dede Scozzafava in her campaign for Congress,” Hensarling, R-Texas said in a statement. “I am backing the only Republican in this race who can win and don’t want to lose this seat to Nancy Pelosi for a generation.”

Hensarling is a former chairman of the Republican Study Committee, a caucus of conservative House Republicans, and his endorsement could carry weight with right-leaning political action committees as they consider which candidate to back for the 23rd District seat.

Hensarling’s support of Scozzafava, a state assemblywoman, is important because Republicans are trying to build conservative support for her campaign.

Scozzafava is fending off a challenge not only from Democrat Bill Owens in the Nov. 3 election but also from Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman.

Hoffman has the backing of the anti-tax Club for Growth, which has spent more than $250,000 on TV ads on his behalf, as well as other prominent conservative figures and groups.

Scozzafava is viewed as too liberal by some Republicans, and Hoffman is expected to siphon votes from the GOP base.

Just this week some House moderates and National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions of Texas used the GOP’s weekly Conference meeting to urge their colleagues to support their nominee financially. As of Friday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had spent $231,000 in independent expenditures on the race. The NRCC, meanwhile, has spent $313,000 on the race.

The upstate district was previously represented by Republican John M. McHugh , who is now secretary of the Army.

The district only marginally favors Republicans.