The extremely close fight for NY-19 could come down to the Hasidic community of Kiryas Joel.

Both Democratic Rep. John Hall and Republican Nan Hayworth met with the two factions of KJ this week to seek their endorsements, according to the Middletown Times Herald-Record, which reports:

Hayworth’s spokesman, Douglas Cunningham, said Friday that their discussions were cordial, but that neither side indicated who they would support.

“We did not make any promises to them except that we would be as accessible to them as to any other constituents,” Cunningham said.

Cunningham also said prominent Democrats such as Sen. Chuck Schumer and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo — the front-runner for governor — have been pressuring Kiryas Joel’s leaders to support Hall.”

YNN’s Curtis Schick asked Hayworth herself for an updated today and was told she is “of course” looking for the support of KJ leaders, but haven’t received as of yet.

Blogger Yossi Gestetner Tweeted that former President Bill Clinton “called KJ leadership 2 push 4 Hall” the same day (I believe Friday) that House Whip Eric Cantor made a personal trip to the community to seek support for Hayworth.

(Gestetner e-mailed to note that he reported the Clinton and Cantor convergence occurred on the same “days,” rather than the exact same day).

A Hasidic source said Cantor also told the leaders that he would be a candidate for speaker if the GOP takes back the House and a groundswell of support fails to develop for Minority Leader John Boehner. The same source told me former Gov. George Pataki and former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani both called KJ leaders on Hayworth’s behalf.

UPDATE: A spokesman for Cantor denied my source’s claim, saying:

“This is categorically false. Mr. Cantor was there solely to stand with Nan Hayworth and make the case for an endorsement of her candidacy for the Congressional Seat in the 19th District. During the meeting, he was extremely clear that should Republicans win back the House, he would support John Boehner for Speaker.”

KJ played a pivotal role in Hall’s upset win over then-GOP Rep. Sue Kelly in 2006.

At the time, then-US Sen. Hillary Clinton, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (an Orthodox Jew) and gubernatorial frontrunner Eliot Spitzer made calls on Hall’s behalf. Kelly used NYC Mayor Bloomberg as her pitchman.

The Herald-Record recalls:

“In that race, establishment leaders dropped Kelly at the last minute and switched their endorsement to Hall, who also had the support of the opposition bloc. Hall wound up with nearly 2,800 votes in Kiryas Joel — more than half of his 4,760-vote margin of victory in the election.”

“The village’s strategists are pragmatic, tending to steer their votes to candidates who will win and help them while in office. One factor working against Hayworth is that she has refused to seek the sort of earmark grants that Kiryas Joel covets.”

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