The latest Pa poll results from the right-leaning Rasmussen Reports claims the US Senate race is essentially tied, with Bob Casey leading GOP challenger 46-45%.

From Ras:

The U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania is now essentially a tie.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the Keystone State finds incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Casey, Jr. with 46% of the vote, while Republican Tom Smith attracts 45%. Nine percent (9%) are still undecided. Pennsylvania now moves from Leans Democrat to a Toss-Up in the Rasmussen Reports Senate Balance of Power Rankings.

Prior to this survey, support for Casey has held steady at 49%...Ninety percent (90%) of likely Pennsylvania voters are certain they will vote on Election Day. Among these voters, it's Smith 47%, Casey 46%. Smith draws support from 87% of Republicans in Pennsylvania and leads 41% to 31% among voters not affiliated with either of the major political parties. Casey, the son of a popular former governor and a one-time state official himself, is backed by 83% of Democrats.

I hope the people in the DCCC anti-Rothfus ads are getting royalties.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is out with its latest ad knocking PA12 Republican candidate Keith Rothfus over proposed GOP changes to Medicare, though in the usual muddled way (and if you don't know what we're talking about here's the overview from last time.) The latest DCCC has the exact same group of folks talking as in the previous ones.

 Meanwhile Politico's Morning Score reports that the GOP-supporting Citizens United -- yes, that Citizens United of the Supreme Court decision on unlimited corporate/union giving -- has a new poll out showing Rothfus with a 5-point lead over Democrat Mark Critz in the race (44-39%) with 17% undecided. It was done Tuesday and Wednesday among 750 likely voters in the district with a 3.5% MoE. Toplines here.

Following up on the Rick Santorum endorsement yesterday, today the Mark Critz campaign is hitting GOP foe Keith Rothfus for his support from the tea party group FreedomWorks, which the Democratic camp says is in favor of privatizing Social Security.

FreedomWorks is promoting a new site called "Home Grown Critz" (and video above) that calls the Democrat part of the "liberal elite" and complains "Mark Critz stands with liberal interests in opposing Social Security reform."

 Says a statement by the Critz camp (in full after jump):

Keith Rothfus' ally, FreedomWorks, is running Facebook ads promoting a website and video that attacks Mark Critz for opposing privatization of Social Security. In a May press release, Rothfus touted the endorsement of FreedomWorks, quoting Executive Director Max Pappas as saying that the group endorsed Rothfus after conducting "extensive personal interviews" and "detailed research" of his record. The attack on Critz and the comments by Pappas lead to only one logical conclusion: Rothfus supports Social Security privatization.

"The attack by FreedomWorks on Mark Critz makes it clear that Keith Rothfus wants to privatize Social Security," Critz spokesman Mike Mikus said. "It is impossible to believe that FreedomWorks would attack Mark Critz for opposing privatization if Keith Rothfus didn't agree with them, especially after they conducted 'extensive personal interviews' with the candidate."

The latest Pa poll from right-leading Rasmussen Reports has Obama up 51-46% over Romney in the state. The RNC however points to the findings that among the 90% who say they'll surely vote the race is basically tied.

From Ras:

President Obama still earns over 50% of the vote in Pennsylvania.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Pennsylvania Voters shows the president with 51% of the vote to Romney's 46%. One percent (1%) likes another candidate, and two percent (2%) remain undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

This is unchanged from two weeks ago and matches Obama's highest level of support in the Keystone State first reached in mid-September.

Pennsylvania remains Leans Obama in the Rasmussen Reports Electoral College Projections.

However, the race is nearly tied among the 90% of Pennsylvania voters who say they are certain to vote, with Obama earning 49% to Romney's 48%.

Both candidates earn 85% support from likely voters in their respective parties. They're tied at 46% apiece among voters not affiliated with either of the major political parties.