This is part of a series of stories on issues in the local congressional races, leading up to the election next month. This story focuses on health care. Future stories will look at Social Security, Medicare, federal spending and defense cuts.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey is the Democrat running for re-election, Tom Smith is the Republican who wants his job and President Barack Obama's national health care reform law highlights their divide perfectly.

Casey proudly voted for the law; Smith wants to repeal it at all costs.

"It was the right vote," Casey said.

"I think it's the most intrusive invasion of personal rights that I've seen in my lifetime," Smith said.

As the two crisscross the state campaigning, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, looms as a major issue.

Then, there's Rayburn Smith, the Libertarian Party candidate, who says he would have opposed the law, and has his own idea of what to do about ensure health care coverage for all Americans.

Signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010, the Affordable Care Act aimed to expand health care coverage to an estimated 32 million uninsured Americans, but it comes with plenty of other provisions, some likable, some quite controversial.

Topping the list of the controversial: a requirement that everyone have health insurance and penalties for those who don't, a mandate upheld by the Supreme Court in June.

Among the favorites: elimination of three-quarters of the gap in senior citizen prescription drug coverage by 2020, a prohibition on insurance companies denying anyone coverage for pre-existing conditions and letting children stay on their parent's health insurance plans until age 26.

Read the original here:

Senate candidates debate health care overhaul