Iraq War veteran Kieran Michael Lalor (R) has set up an exploratory committee as he considers whether to challenge freshman Rep. John Hall (D) in the Hudson Valley 19th district.

Hall, a former rock musician, rode the anti-GOP wave to upset then-Rep. Sue Kelly (R) in November, and Republicans are eager to win the seat back. They are looking for a high-profile challenger, and Lalor does not automatically fit the bill.

But as a former Marine corporal who runs a group dedicated to winning the war on terror, known as the Eternal Vigilance Society, Lalor has gotten a certain amount of ink and air time in the New York area. He founded the group because he felt liberals were using their opposition to the Iraq War for political gain.

Lalor was a Marine reservist who had just begun law school when the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks took place. His unit was deployed to Iraq in March 2003. He later volunteered in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit and was awarded a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his work there.

“Kieran Michael Lalor is a proven leader who has demonstrated uncommon devotion to his country and the Hudson Valley,” the exploratory committee’s Web site states. It goes on to accuse Hall of representing the values of “Hollywood elites and liberal extremists.”

— Josh Kurtz