"We are very well-received. People are very receptive to change" in who represents them, Rendell said. "We're not going to change anything; we'll keep on working and running hard" in an attempt to unseat the controversial Buttars, first elected to the Senate in 2000.

Seegmiller said he's "not surprised" by the close poll results of his race. "I figured all along it would be close," Seegmiller said, and feels he has to keep "knocking on doors" as much as he can and work to "get my people out to vote, for sure."

Curtis said he's been working hard this election and knows that "reaching across the aisle" is key to winning re-election. A guy who likes to crunch numbers, Curtis said maybe only 10 percent of District 49 residents are registered Democrats, but there are many more independents who often vote Democratic. He's "absolutely trying to reach out to those voters — emphasizing issues that may not be traditional Republican (campaigning) issues" — like support for public education, funding health care for low-income kids and his work on animal cruelty legislation.

Jones found that Buttars is holding his base — Republicans — and even beating Rendell among independent voters. Rendell has overwhelming support from Democrats. The district usually votes Republican, and any Democratic candidate needs a large chunk of independents to win.

Buttars leads among Republicans, 72-14 percent; among independents, 43-31 percent. Rendell leads among Democrats, 91-4 percent, Jones found.

Meanwhile, Seegmiller gets the independent votes he needs to stay close to Curtis. Jones found that Curtis leads among Republicans, 73-13 percent. Seegmiller leads among Democrats, 92-0 percent (8 percent undecided). But Seegmiller leads Curtis among independents, 58-21 percent.

Buttars maintains his lead among those who said they have "high interest" in this year's races, 58-25 percent. Seegmiller nudges past Curtis, 45-41 percent, among those "high interest" voters — but those results also are within the margin of error.

Democrats have targeted Curtis and Buttars this year, among other potentially vulnerable Republicans, while GOP groups have stepped up to defend the embattled incumbents.

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E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com