State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe of Cranberry, who proudly marches under the banner of the state House's most conservative Republican, impatiently suggests his Democratic challenger take a good civics class.

"He fails to grasp the purpose of a state legislator," said Mr. Metcalfe of John Olesnevich, who has repeatedly accused the five-term legislator of being too focused on national matters to adequately deal with the bread-and-butter issues that concern his constituents at home.

"They ARE local issues,'' said Mr. Metcalfe about his headline-grabbing stances on illegal immigration, abortion, and gay marriage. "These issues do impact our region. They are state issues [as well as federal issues]."

Mr. Olesnevich disagrees and has built his campaign platform on the region's crumbling infrastructure.

The 60-year-old Democrat from Middlesex said he would focus his efforts as a state representative for the 12th District on Pennsylvania's transportation system: fixing bridges, increasing road capacity, encouraging new mass transit.

Two projects of particular interest are the widening of Route 228 and the launching of more mass transit to Pittsburgh from at least southern Butler County but from points as far north as Grove City.

"This is one of the fastest growing counties in the state but he hasn't been able to bring the funding home for this. He spends too much time on things like immigration and abortion and gay marriage. Those aren't local issues," said Mr. Olesnevich, who worked for a local manufacturing company until he was disabled.

He returned to college, received a teaching degree and now is a substitute teacher in the Karns City School District. An Army veteran, he is an income tax preparer. He and his wife, Barbara, have four grown children.

Mr. Metcalfe's steadfast platform has been consistent since he was elected in November 1998: "Limited, more efficient government, less taxation, local control of education and traditional family values."

He's gotten the most press for what many, even in his own party, consider over-the-top positions.

Most recently, he was in the news for a comment he made on the House floor in June that was perceived by some as anti-Muslim. But, he said his remark was taken out of context and the situation was manipulated by his political adversaries.

Mr. Metcalfe, 45, said the issue of illegal immigration directly affects his constituents because of the impact immigrants have on health care costs, public education and incarceration. "The taxpayers foot the bill," he said of clinics and hospitals who treat the uninsured immigrants, the public school system that educates their children and the prison system that jails the offenders among them.

As for abortion, he said he believes there are subsidies for Planned Parenthood hidden in the state budget. "Life should be protected," he said.

As for gay marriage, "This is definitely a state issue. Yes, we will amend the [state] Constitution to define marriage as being between one man and one woman. We need to protect marriage and protect the family. It does have an economic impact if the family isn't protected in a traditional marriage. The breakdown of the family means increased costs and an increased welfare state."

Mr. Metcalfe and his wife, Elke, have one grown daughter. An Army veteran, he is vice chairman of the House Finance Committee and serves on the Education, Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness and Labor Relations committees.

Mr. Olesnevich appears on the general election ballot by virtue of write-in votes in the spring contest. There were no candidates on the Democratic ballot.

Mr. Metcalfe had competition in the spring from Robin Redding of Cranberry.

The 12th District encompasses nearly two dozen communities in southern Butler County.