PORTAGE, MI — A local Democratic state House candidate is crying foul after the Michigan GOP sent out campaign mailers this week directing Republicans to call him at a number for his 91-year-old mother's room at a Portage-based nursing home.

The mailers, which were paid for by the Michigan Republican Party, urge voters to call John Fisher, a candidate for the 61st state House District, and "Tell him hard-working Michiganders are being hurt by Obamacare and the health care policies (Democrats) support."

Fisher's campaign acknowledged it had no issue with past Republican mailers that told voters to call him at his personal number, but the candidate said Republicans took it too far by directing citizens to call Fisher at his mother's number. The number is registered under Fisher's name, but is a direct line to his mother's room at Tendercare Portage, where Isabel Kramb is currently receiving hospice care for congestive heart failure, said Fisher's campaign manager David Topping.

Fisher, a 64-year-old Oshtemo Township pastor, is running against Republican Kalamazoo County Commissioner Brandt Iden and Libertarian Michael Stampfler in a bid to represent the state's 61st House District, which covers the city of Portage as well as Oshtemo, Schoolcraft, Texas and Prairie Ronde townships.

"To direct people to call a suffering woman who deserves peace and comfort is beyond the pale," Fisher said in a prepared statement. "Their lack of ethics and contempt for personal privacy is just another reason for people to question what – or better, who – the Republican Party stands for, so that they can make a wise decision at the ballot box on Nov. 4."

Iden, 31, said in a brief statement that he does not condone the tactics utilized by his party in this instance.

"Obviously, as you know, it was not sent out by our campaign," Iden said. "I don't condone negative campaign tactics and it's not something my campaign has done or anticipates doing.

"I hope Mr. Fisher would do the same."

A Michigan Republican Party spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

Meanwhile, Fisher called on Iden to distance himself from the Michigan GOP.

"My competitor, Brandt Iden, should denounce the Michigan Republican Party for such appalling tactics in his name," Fisher said in the news release. "Lansing Republicans showed contempt for all seniors when they forced them to pay extra in order to fund giveaways for major corporations.

"The men and women who worked hard all their lives so that their families could succeed deserve better than that, and I will work hard to protect the dignity and security of Michigan seniors when I am in Lansing."

Alex Mitchell covers county government and taxes for the Kalamazoo Gazette. Email him at amitche5@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter.