Democratic Rep. Antonio Delgado, a freshman lawmaker elected to a Hudson Valley House seat a year ago, endorsed the impeachment of President Donald Trump, saying in a statement released Tuesday morning that the move was warranted.

Delgado’s backing of moving forward with impeachment comes amid a growing chorus of House Democrats, including first-term lawmakers elected in formerly Republican-held seats, amid allegations the president withheld foreign aid for Ukraine while pressuring the country to investigate the son of his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden.

“The first responsibility of the President of the United States is to keep our country safe, but it has become clear that our president has placed his personal interests above the national security of our nation,” Delgado said in a statement. “The President has admitted to soliciting the Ukrainian president to investigate a political rival. In doing so, the President used the power of the presidency to pressure a foreign government to help him win an election.”

Delgado called the effort to have a foreign power investigate Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, and his business dealings there is “an impeachable offense” on its own.

“And yet, even more troubling is the fact that prior to this conversation, the President instructed his administration to withhold military aid that Ukraine needed to fend off Russian aggression,” Delgado said.

“Having taken an oath of office before God and my fellow citizens to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, I can only conclude that Congress move forward with articles of impeachment.”

Delgado’s endorsement of impeachment is significant given the purple-ish hue of the district, once represented by Republicans like Chris Gibson. Delgado only a year ago unseated Republican John Faso in a costly and closely watched battleground race.

Delgado had cautiously navigated the calls for impeaching the president over the last year, voting against a resolution in support of the move in July following the release of Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 and the lengths to which Trump sought to stymie the investigation.

But Delgado’s endorsement of impeachment is perhaps reflective of the growing mood among Democrats, including moderate freshman in vulnerable districts ahead of next year’s election, that impeachment is a viable option.

Here's what other local lawmakers had to say about the announcement made Tuesday.

Paul Tonko (NY-20)

Elise Stefanik (NY-21)

“I strongly believe in the importance of transparency. I support the President’s decision to release the entire transcript to the American public. I do not support impeachment of the President.”

Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18)

“I have had a high bar for putting the country through an impeachment inquiry, especially so close to an election. But these allegations go to the heart of the oath I took. There comes a time to put your country first. Unless the Intelligence Committee immediately receives both the whistleblower complaint, and the recordings of any calls – and they dispel these charges – I am prepared to pursue an impeachment inquiry of the President. The old Trump song and dance won’t cut it this time.”