And a poll released yesterday by The Hill, a congressional newspaper, put Meehan one point ahead of Lentz, 40 percent to 39 percent.
Those two surveys, combined with last week's Monmouth University Poll that had Meehan ahead of Lentz, 49 percent to 45 percent, show that Lentz has a chance of withstanding the national Republican "wave" that could give the GOP control of the House. In all three polls, Meehan's edge is within the margin of error.
Meehan, 54, a former U.S. attorney and county district attorney from Upper Darby, and Lentz, 46, an Iraq War veteran and second-term state representative from Swarthmore, are vying to replace Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, who is running for U.S. Senate.
"Lentz doesn't carry that problem of being a member of Congress. I think that's actually a little bit helpful for him, because he's not an incumbent who voted for the Obama agenda," said G. Terry Madonna, director of the Franklin & Marshall poll.
That survey, conducted Oct. 5-11, has Meehan leading Lentz, 33 percent to 28 percent among registered voters, and 34 percent to 31 percent among likely voters.
"It's a competitive election, one that is still very much in play," Madonna said. "I don't think anyone can say this is a runaway or a rout. We don't know for sure how it's going to turn out."
An internal poll conducted for the Lentz campaign last week by Benenson Strategy Group - President Obama's pollster - has Lentz behind Meehan by a few points, but within the margin of error, according to a Democratic source.
But a recent poll commissioned by local Republicans shows Meehan leading, 42 percent to 30 percent. That survey was conducted Oct. 3-4 by GOP pollster Neil Newhouse at Public Opinion Strategies.
The candidates differ on the key issues of this election cycle, including job-creation, stimulus spending, health-care reform and the Bush-era tax cuts.
