Politics on the Hudson

Democratic 19th District Congressional challenger John Hall is apparently one of the chosen.

Reports indicate the Republican National Congressional Committee has targeted about 50 candidates nationwide to receive robo calls, a computerized system that dials back voters repeatedly if they hang up on the message that comes purportedly from the Democratic candidate.

Hall is running against six-term Republican Sue Kelly of Katonah.

Hall press secretary Tom Staudter said the campaign office has received hundreds of calls from irate voters since Sunday saying they won’t vote for the Democrat, although they had intended to, because of the annoyance factor.

Kelly campaign spokesman Jay Townsend said the Kelly campaign has “done no negative calls. We’ve asked no organization or political committees to do negative calls. We have done positive ones, including calls from John McCain, Mayor Giuliani and one recorded by the League of Conservation voters on Congresswoman Kelly’s behalf.”

Townsend continued, “We heard late yesterday of negative calls supposedly done by the National Republican Congressional Committee. The campaign manager of Kelly for Congress called the NRCC late Sunday evening and asked them to stop.”