Rick Lazio (Photo: YouTube)

Former Congressman Rick Lazio, who is known for challenging Hillary Clinton for the U.S. Senate in 2000 and attempting to challenge Andrew Cuomo for Governor in 2010 (only to flop a bit and lose the Republican primary to bombastic businessman Carl Paladino), publicly emerged to endorse GOP Councilman Halloran for Congress.

Mr. Lazio has not been extremely active in the news cycle in the last couple months; the only recent news stories containing his name before yesterday were ones using his loss to Mr. Paladino to discuss other races, so his appearance at yesterday's event seemed a little out of the blue.

(He was also spotted raising money for Mitt Romney's presidential bid last December.)

Nevertheless, Mr. Lazio, whom Mr. Halloran called "my good friend," extensively praised the Republican candidate and vowed to make this race a priority for him this election cycle.

"I've seen the kind of people who come to Washington," he said "I've seen the kind of people who made a difference and the people who take the easy way out."

He added, "I'm incredibly proud to stand here to endorse Dan Halloran and to say that I'm going to be working door-to-door to make sure every voter in the district understands the quality of the individual they have the opportunity to send to D.C."

Watch Mr. Lazio make his endorsement below: