A new Siena College poll has Barack Obama up 43-40% over Mitt Romney in Pa, and fellow Dem Bob Casey up 44-35% over Tom Smith in the US Senate race. By their findings there are 16 to 21% of voters undecided in either race.

Details here.

The survey of 545 likely voters was done by landline and cell phones from Oct. 1-5 with a 4.2% MoE.

The Republican YG Action Fund has released internal poll results claiming GOP challenger Keith Rothfus leads incumbent Dem Mark Critz by two points in the competitive 12th District race.

YG's poll shows the race at 42-40% for Rothfus with 18% undecided. The Public Opinion Strategies survey of 400 likely voters was done Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. The margin of error was 4.9%.

The SuperPAC isn't releasing full details on the poll but shared many of the findings with reporters. They include:

-- Gains by Rothfus since their last poll in August, when Critz led by 7 points at 46-39%.

-- Rothfus trails in the old Murtha parts of the district by 5 points, but leads by 4 points in the three-quarters of the district held by Jason Altmire (where Rothfus ran in 2010).

-- Romney led Obama 54-41% (slightly tighter than the 55-36% lead in August)

-- Obama's favorable/unfavorable was 42-54% and Romney's 53-40%. Critz's was 31-26% and Rothfus' 22- 23%. More than 30% of respondents didn't have an opinion on either congressional candidate.

-- 41% ID'd themselves as Republicans, 39% Democrats and 18% independent.

-- 49% of their info on the candidates came TV, 15% from newspapers and 6% from the Internet.

-- 41% of respondents identified themselves as conservative to 15% liberal.

UPDATE from Critz spokesman Mike Mikus:

"Keith Rothfus and his allies should spend less time releasing bogus polls and more time explaining why he wants to end Medicare as we know it, why he supports unfair trade deals that ship American jobs overseas, and why he is evading taxes which forces his workers to pay double the taxes."

The wife of Vice President Joe Biden urged campaign volunteers this morning to continue their voter-registration efforts as tomorrow's deadline approaches, emphasizing that they also need to spread the word about the voter ID decision.

"We've got to get the news out that people do not need a photo ID," Jill Biden told a crowd of about 180 people at the Democratic campaign's Harrisburg office.

She noted that the voter-registration deadline is "just hours away," as volunteers among the crowd held clipboards with forms for a final push after her visit. Registration forms for new Pennsylvania voters or those changing their party affiliation or address must be postmarked no later than Tuesday.

Mrs. Biden, joined by her daughter Ashley, thanked volunteers for their efforts, and outlined what she viewed as several top achievements by her husband and President Barack Obama during the past four years.

She highlighted efforts to increase funding for college Pell grants, steps to end the war in Iraq, passage of the federal health care act, and Friday's decrease in the national unemployment rate.

"No matter what, we will keep working so that everyone can create a better life for themselves, no matter where you come from, what you look like, or who you love," she said, drawing cheers.

One of those preparing to help in a final registration push was Harrisburg resident Rhoda Howard, who said she was happy when she learned that the voter ID requirement had been lifted for this election.

"ID is important, but you have to do it the right way," Ms. Howard said. "It just seemed like it was being pushed through too fast for this election."

State offices are closed today for the Columbus Day holiday, but those seeking to register to vote in person can do so tomorrow at county election offices, PennDOT locations, state health or welfare offices, among other locations. Applicants must be a citizen of the United States and resident of Pennsylvania, and be at least 18 years old by Nov. 6.

Mrs. Biden also will be appearing in Scranton, Hazleton and Allentown later today, and making stops tomorrow in Reading, Lancaster and Philadelphia.

Beyond endorsements, ad wars also continue in PA12.

Republican Keith Rothfus has a new one out with a direct, personal rebuke to "liberal" Mark Critz on claims by a Democratic SuperPAC that he's a "Wall Street lawyer." The connections are slim (his former law firm did work for BNY Mellon, but that's about it), and Rothfus and his allies (such as Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform) have been quick to denounce the Dem claims.

"I can't believe the things Congressman Critz will do to stay in Washington," says Rothfus, deftly getting the anti-Congress/Washington hit in early. "Critz and his liberal friends say that I'm a Wall Street lawyer. The fact is that I work on Stanwix Street in Pittsburgh."

It's truer to say he worked on Stanwix Street: Rothfus, a Sewickley attorney, went on leave from his firm Yukevich, Marchetti during his initial run for Congress in 2010 and stopped working there again this April to prepare for this year's battle. (He didn't have a primary challenger.)

The Critz campaign counters the ad by saying Rothfus is the one tied to Washington, whereas Critz is independent:

"Keith Rothfus supports unfair trade agreements that ship jobs overseas, he wants to keep giving companies tax breaks for outsourcing American jobs, and he wants to end Medicare as we know it by turning it into a voucher system that will costs seniors an additional $6,400 per year for health care," Critz spokesman Mike Mikus said. "Mark Critz is one of the most independent members in Congress, taking on his own party to protect Pennsylvania coal and natural gas jobs and he's pro-life and pro-gun and the people of Western Pennsylvania know it."

"Keith Rothfus is the embodiment of everything that is wrong with Washington. He is a hyper-partisan millionaire whose tax plan will save hundreds of thousands of dollars for himself but kill good paying middle class jobs and cost senior citizens thousands of dollars more for their health care," Mikus said. "He's unwilling to be honest with the people of Western Pennsylvania and refuses to the truth about who he is and the votes he will cast in Congress."

The NRCC also has a tough new ad hitting Critz over . . . just about everything, including the national debt: