Police do not believe a threatening phone message left at the residence of a mayoral candidate Saturday night was politically motivated.

&uot;I just feel like it’s not going to be campaign-related,&uot;&160;said Natchez Police Chief Willie Huff.

John Pullen, who is one of four candidates in the race for Natchez mayor, returned to his Lambert Street residence Saturday evening to find a threatening message on the family answering machine.

The unidentified male, who left the message, does not mention anyone in the Pullen household by name, but threatens to kill someone, police reports said.

&uot;You have been talking about my momma, b—-. You’re going to get killed,&uot; the caller said.

Huff said that the incident is still under investigation.

&uot;We’re going to take it serious because he is a candidate,&uot; Huff said.

Although, the phone threat is the first reported incident during this year’s campaign, threatening calls and similar pranks often occur during an election, Huff said.

&uot;People will do that just to stir things up,&uot; he said.

However, these type of pranks are not always committed by someone closely related to the campaign.

&uot;I just do not believe it’s campaign workers (with) Pullen’s opponents,&uot; who made the phone call, said Huff.

Often, people may just be someone trying to get attention, he added.

Pullen’s wife, Betty Pullen, said she thought the message was meant for them because their answering machine clearly states their names and mentions the mayoral race to incoming callers.

&uot;It’s just terrible that people would do things like that,&uot;&160; she said.

John Pullen said he thought it was &uot;just a prank, I think they got the wrong number.&uot;

Pullen and two other democratic candidates Incumbent Larry L. &uot;Butch&uot;&160;Brown and F.L. &uot;Hank&uot; Smith will face off Tuesday during the Democratic primary. A fourth candidate Robert Costa is running as an independent.