Freshman Republican Congresswoman Nan Hayworth is trying to fight off a challenge from Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney. It is a fierce battle, with outside money attempting to shape the outcome of this race to represent the Hudson Valley. NY1's Grace Rauh filed the following report.

Another day on the campaign trail and another round of shots fired, as Republican Congresswoman Nan Hayworth attempts to fend off her Democratic challenger, Sean Patrick Maloney.

"I am, of course, in a race for Congress against a Republican opponent who is the most extreme and most conservative member of Congress the Hudson Valley has ever had," Maloney said.

"He has a long record of playing loosely with truth," Hayworth said.

Maloney is an attorney who advised former President Bill Clinton. He was also a top aide to former Govs. Eliot Spitzer and David Paterson. He ran for state Attorney General in 2006.

Maloney calls himself a Bill Clinton Democrat. He said his opponent is a Tea Party Republican.

Hayworth is an opthamologist who was first elected to Congress two years ago with Tea Party support. But she does not call herself a member of the party.

"I'm Nan," she said. "I represent the Hudson Valley."

Her campaign has not shied away from the label game. It is trying to brand Maloney as an outsider. He has owned a home in nearby Sullivan County for 16 years but he only moved into the district in April.

"He doesn't know the Hudson Valley," Hayworth said.

"When you don't have a record," Maloney said, "you call people names and you try to muddy up the picture."

Indeed, the race is a bitter one. And outside money pouring into this district is only ratcheting things up, by paying for attack ads.

"Nan Hayworth's Washington Tea Party would roll back decades of progress for women," says one ad.

"Sean Patrick Maloney's policies will make it worse," says another.

The district includes Orange and Putnam Counties, as well as part of Dutchess and part of Westchester Counties.

Democrats outnumber Republicans by about 5,000 voters. There are about 8,000 registered Conservatives and more than 20,000 Independents.