WASHINGTON -- Steven Porter, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress in northwestern Pennsylvania, does not support forced sterilization of rapists. Nor does he support legalized prostitution.

To prove those points, he's suing his Republican opponent, Rep. Phil English of Erie.

Mr. Porter's lawyer yesterday filed a writ of summons in Erie, and the Democrat is accusing the English campaign of running ads that "grossly and maliciously" misrepresent his arguments in a self-published book that he wrote more than a decade ago.

"At no time do I say the state has the right to sterilize anyone by force," he said. Instead, the book -- titled "The Ethics of Democracy" -- presents a series of philosophical arguments.

Mr. Porter, a former program director for musical theater at Mercyhurst College, held a news conference at the offices of the Erie Democratic Party to announce the lawsuit, which a spokesman for Mr. English describes as baseless.

"This is a clear sign of a desperate campaign that is losing handily," said Brad Moore, Mr. English's campaign manager. "Mr. Porter is continuing to embarrass himself, the Democratic Party, and the political process."

Mr. Moore said the ads have never mentioned Mr. Porter's writings on sterilization, but several television and radio spots do say the Democrat has considered the legalization of prostitution and drugs. Mr. Moore said the campaign's advertisements had been cleared by lawyers.

Mr. Porter has written more than a dozen books, including several on music theory and education. A longtime interest in politics compelled him to write "Ethics," which broadly looks at personal freedoms and government regulation. Although Mr. Porter argues that the book doesn't necessarily reflect his personal views, it describes prostitution as an act that involves "willing participants."

Before moving to Pennsylvania several years ago, Mr. Porter lost four races for New York State Senate in a heavily Republican area. He is running against Mr. English for the second time in Pennsylvania's 3rd Congressional District, which stretches from Lake Erie to parts of Butler and Armstrong counties.

In 2004, Mr. Porter lost by 20 percentage points in the district, and he is badly trailing Mr. English in fundraising with less than three weeks to go before this year's election. He describes Mr. English as an unquestioning supporter of President Bush who has done little to stem the loss of manufacturing jobs in Pennsylvania.

Mr. Moore counters that Mr. English has used his position on the influential Ways and Means committee to fight for more jobs in the state.

With the backdrop of an unpopular war in Iraq and a series of scandals, the GOP is facing a difficult election year. But Mr. English, who was first elected in 1994 and is running for his seventh term, doesn't seem likely to lose his seat, which CQPolitics.com describes as "safe Republican."

Mr. Porter said he isn't seeking money in his lawsuit against the incumbent.

"I'm doing it for justice," he said.