In Pennsylvania, Republican Tom Smith is facing an uphill battle against Democratic senator Bob Casey, the son of the beloved former governor. But in four of the five most recent polls of likely voters, Smith, a 64-year-old farmer and coal mining businessman from Western Pennsylvania, has been within single digits of Casey, including a Quinnipiac poll released last week showing him trailing the incumbent senator by just six points.

“We’ve got a real race on our hands here,” says Smith in an interview with THE WEEKLY STANDARD. Smith, a political newcomer, added that he believes voters are moving away from Casey the more they learn about his voting record. The Smith campaign has had television ads in every market in the state, including one criticizing Casey’s record in the Senate.