For the past 25 years, northwestern Pennsylvania has been represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by two men and one political party: Tom Ridge and Phil English, both Republicans.

This year, however, the Democratic Party in District 3 -- which includes all of Erie County, most of Crawford, Mercer and Butler counties, and portions of Warren, Venango and Armstrong counties -- senses change in the wind.

The seat held by Mr. English, who has represented the region since 1995 and is unopposed in the primary as he pursues his eighth consecutive term, has been targeted this year by the national Democratic Party as being one of the GOP's more vulnerable spots.

That perceived weakness has attracted four candidates on the Democratic side. But according to Cathi Zelazny, chair of the Erie County Democratic Party, the competition has been a good thing.

"This way, the number of candidates keeps the discussion of the issues going, and the people hear the Democratic perspective," Ms. Zelazny said. "English has not always been forthcoming on what he does. This time, he's going to have to discuss the issues."

The issues in this corner of the commonwealth mirror those across the state and country: health care, the economy and Iraq. And all four Democrats have been spreading the message of what they and their party promise to change.

"The issues are still the same," said Ms. Zelazny, who described the tone of the race as competitive but civil. "I don't care if I talk to a farmer or if I talk to somebody who works in the city of Erie. They are concerned about the country and the way it's headed. They don't like the way it's going, and they want a change. And in order to have a change in Washington, you have to have a change in Congress."

Despite the presence of Sharon, Meadville and Butler in District 3, all the Democratic candidates on the April 22 ballot hail from Erie.

Kathy Dahlkemper, 50, works with her family-owned landscape business; Kyle Foust, 40, is an Erie County councilman; Tom Myers, 47, is a lawyer; and Moise "Mike" Waltner, 32, is a lay minister.

Mrs. Dahlkemper's name is a familiar one to many residents who recognize it as being associated with a former chain of catalog showroom stores in the area. But she has carved her own name out as director of the Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park and vice president of its board of directors.

"I have five children who are starting their adult lives, and I'm concerned about the direction of this country for them and all of those in their generation," said Mrs. Dahlkemper, who is making her first foray into politics. "I want my children to be able to stay in this district and raise their families in this district, if that's what they choose to do."

Pennsylvania has lost 223,000 manufacturing jobs during Mr. English's time in Congress, she said, "and northwestern Pennsylvania has experienced many of those job losses."

"That's the issue that concerns most people I speak with," she said. "Many of [the candidates'] stances are similar, although there are variations. And I think that, what it really comes down to, who do voters believe can defeat Phil English in the fall."

Mr. Foust is the only one of the candidates with ballot experience. The son of a former Erie County councilman, he is a lifelong resident of the district and has twice been elected to his father's seat.

The county district he represents, he said, is a microcosm of District 3, which includes the city of Erie, suburban neighborhoods and remote rural stretches. The residents, he said, look for a leader who is a centrist and an independent thinker, qualities he has shown on county council.

"They want someone who is unafraid to speak up and at times [has] gone against people within his own party," said Mr. Foust, who ruffled feathers recently with his opposition to a labor group's stand regarding a tire plant in the district.

"We need a candidate who can attract independents and Republicans," he said. "And that's where my strength lies."

Mr. Myers, also a lifelong resident of Erie, lays claim to the values of five generations of iron workers, including his father who started the iron workers' union in Erie in 1922. ("He was 64 when I was born," he said.)

Another political newcomer, Mr. Myers boasts 21 years of legal experience that, he said, no other candidate offers.

"I think that's important," he said, noting that much of his work has been on behalf of labor groups "and regular folks."

"I think that makes a difference, whether it's fighting for legislation or fighting for funding," said Mr. Myers, who has been endorsed by Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll. "Western Pennsylvania needs to get its fair share from Washington, D.C., and Rep. English has not provided that."

Mr. Waltner's family has worked in Erie for three generations as iron workers, window washers and food service providers. He was raised by his mother, who works overnight at a gas station, and his grandmother, who was a labor organizer and instilled Democratic principles in him.

"I'm running because I want to represent people like them," said Mr. Waltner, who graduated from Penn State University with a degree in religious studies. "That means standing with working people."

Mr. Waltner served as director of operations at the Interfaith Center of New York and ministered to mourning families after Sept. 11, 2001. He has returned to Erie, where he is community outreach program coordinator for an Episcopal church.

"We need a new type of leader," he said. "I've spent my life working in service to other people, both through the church and in society as an organizer. People with power, money and clout are at the front of the line, and I want to represent the people at the back of the line."

But even though the Democratic candidates dominate the current debate in District 3, they don't have the edge in dollars. Mr. English, the incumbent, has a financial war chest of more than $800,000 -- almost twice the amount raised by all four Democrats together.

According to campaign finance reports, Mrs. Dahlkemper leads the Democrats with $150,000 raised, followed by Mr. Myers with $140,000, Mr. Waltner with $100,000 and Mr. Foust with $55,000. Much of Mrs. Dahlkemper's cash on hand, however, is her own. The other candidates are relying mostly on individual contributions.