The messages reportedly argue that the GOP Central Committee - which is meeting tonight - should not certify Ivory as the official party nominee.

"This action has the potential to backfire on the Republican Party in a big way," says one message received by several Republicans and at least one reporter. "Bending the rules to allow Ellis Ivory to be the legal nominee could hurt the party and throw the swing state House and Senate races in the county."

That message, purportedly done "on behalf" of a Central Committee member, contends that Ivory can win as a write-in challenger and that the Central Committee should leave it that way. The phone number the message was sent from could not be dialed back.

Unaffiliated mayoral candidate Merrill Cook, a former GOP congressman, denied he had any part in any of the phone messages, as did several Republican activists who have been publicly vocal about the GOP's attempts to make Ivory the nominee.

State Democratic Party Chairman Donald Dunn also denied his party had anything to do with the calls.

County GOP Chairwoman Tiani Coleman says the Republican Party has conducted only one automated phone poll and had planned to call Central Committee members late Monday to remind them of today's meeting.

"I really don't know who's doing them," Coleman said, referring to the anonymous calls. Coleman added that she has heard reports of as many as five different messages being sent. - Thomas Burr