. Last year's redistricting split the county between two congressional districts for the first time in decades, leaving the state Senate seat the only countywide office on this year's ballot. The district also includes all of Crawford County and parts of Butler and Lawrence counties.

Robbins, 58, Salem Township, is a 20-year veteran of Pennsylvania's General Assembly. He served as 17th District state representative before being elected to the Senate in 1990.

Klaric, 40, Hermitage, is founder, CEO and president of Premier Hydraulics, Inc. in Farrell and Klaric Forge & Machine, Inc. in Atlantic. This is his first run for office.

Klaric boils the race down to a choice between the status quo and his promise of change. Robbins, he says, is a nice guy, but ill-equipped to deal with the district's problems - primarily a lack of good paying jobs and a lagging economy.

"Things are changing so rapidly you have to be able to adjust to the change," Klaric said, and the race is about "who is ready for the change and who can make the change."

Robbins, seeking his fourth term in the Senate, dismisses Klaric's argument as campaign rhetoric.

"Change to what?" Robbins asked. "We've been having change for eight years," he said, referring to Republican efforts to make the state more business-friendly and transform the mission of the state's bureaucracy from enforcement to "problem-solving."

Robbins said he wants to keep his seat as long as he can continue to get things done. The incumbent said he has worked his way into party leadership and developed connections within the state's bureaucracy.

"I can get things done for Mercer County," Robbins said.

A supporter of term limits, Klaric says he won't serve more than two, four-year terms in the Senate. He casts Robbins as a career politician and himself as "someone with the political will that's not afraid to make hard decisions." Klaric said he would let his partners run his business if he's elected.

Both candidates list economic development as their top priority.

Robbins points to his work on "brownfields" legislation, Keystone Opportunity Zones and flexible business programs to encourage development and create "family sustaining jobs." Robbins said getting derelict industrial sites back on the market is the first step to restoring local tax bases.

Klaric says those efforts haven't done enough to help small businesses and manufacturers like himself. It takes a businessman, he said, to craft effective programs and be "an ambassador for the district" to businesses.

Robbins counters that probusiness tax policies he backed have helped Klaric and his business partners, who also received state money for worker training and are seeking a $1 million state grant for Premier Hydraulics.

On what has become the most pressing issue in the state this year - runaway local property taxes that support schools and local government and crimp senior citizens and family budgets - the candidates offer different solutions.

Klaric advocates raising the state's income tax rate and using the cash to increase spending on education and prescription drugs. Robbins backs a plan to put school tax increases beyond increases in the cost of living before voters and is waiting for a consensus on tax reform. Robbins said he would only support a reform plan that includes a voter approval of the changes.

Also high on the candidates' priority lists is paying for prescription drugs for senior citizens. The state's PACE program is considered a model, but it still falls short in an era of ever-increasing drug prices.

Robbins said he's waiting to see what kind of program emerges from Washington.

"We've got to get the federal government involved," he said. Taking action before that could leave Pennsylvania out in the cold if federal dollars start flowing, Robbins said. "It's a twoedged sword."

Klaric said he would pump more money into PACE and use the state's bargaining power with drug companies to get better pricing. "We can't wait for the federal government to do something," he said.

The candidates are also at odds on how the state should shore up local school district budgets.

Robbins says the current funding formula provides most school districts in the region with more than 50 percent of their budgets, with Hermitage and Grove City notable exceptions. He said he supports efforts to secure more money for special education.

Klaric supports plans to fund all school districts equally with a goal of 50 percent of a district's budget being covered by the state. If the current system works so well, Klaric said, why are property taxes continually going up?

The winner of this year's race is likely to face a vote on expanding gambling in the state. Republican and Democrat candidates for governor support placing slot machines at state horseracing tracks as a way to refill the state's drained coffers.

Robbins opposes any expansion of gambling.

"I don't support gambling and I won't support expansion," he said.

Robbins said the state has never taken a long look at the social costs of gambling, primarily addiction.

Klaric won't say for certain how he will vote, but said gambling is coming to Pennsylvania one way or another. He shares Robbins' concern about addiction, but said money generated should help senior citizens and education.

"We have to make responsible decisions, not just 'I'm against it,' " he said.

Klaric and Robbins agree on two bedrock issues. Both are supporters of gun rights and opponents of abortion rights.