Hart internal poll shows her down 5

The campaign for congressional candidate Melissa Hart says an internal poll showing the candidate facing a 5-point deficit proves she is in a "tight race" against Democratic incumbent Jason Altmire in the 4th Congressional District.

The poll, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and released Monday by Hart's campaign, says "Melissa is well within striking distance, and if she has the funds to fully fund her advertising budget, she should be able to break Altmire's tenuous hold on this seat."

Its margin of error is 4.9 percent.

Hart is challenging Altmire after losing to him by fewer than 4 percentage points in 2006, a year poisonous for Republican statewide and nationally.

More than trying to prove the race is tight, the poll seems directed at deflating the belief that 2008 is another bad year for Republicans. A matchup between a generic Republican and Democrat, the poll reports, shows the Democrat leading by only 3 percentage points. Republican presidential nominee John McCain leads his Democratic counterpart in the district by 13 points, 52 percent to 39 percent, the poll finds.

"It appears as if Altmire is facing a bit of 'Democratic drag' in the district," the poll's findings report.

Altmire's campaign was skeptical of the findings.

"People need to consider the source and remember that in November 2006, Melissa Hart claimed her polling showed she had a double-digit lead," said campaign spokeswoman Tess Mullen.

The race between Altmire and Hart is seen as competitive, although most observers say Altmire is the favorite. Hart's campaign remains focused on painting Altmire as a congressman whose values are more in line with his U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) rather than voters in the western Pennsylvania district.

Altmire has positioned himself as a centrist whose voting record, including on off-shore oil drilling, is consistent with voters' values.