Facing little political risk, but sensing the opportunity for free press, some 2010 Republican House challengers are holding their own health care town hall meetings.

Hoping to highlight the incumbents’ decision not to hold similar meetings, New York Assemblyman Greg Ball, former Michigan Rep. Tim Walberg and Florida U.S. Army veteran Allen West announced this week that they are holding their own health care events.

Ball, who is challenging second-term Democrat John Hall, said in a statement that he “will be addressing the current Congressman’s failure to engage the public in dialogue regarding H.R. 3200, derisively known as ‘ObamaCare,’ by hosting a series of town hall meetings next week throughout the 19th congressional district.” The Hudson Valley’s Times Herald-Record noted that Hall is “steering clear of town-hall-style meetings,” though he has conducted a listening tour on health care throughout his district and is soliciting feedback from constituents via his congressional Web site.