A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Let's turn now to Pennsylvania, where two Republican incumbents in competitive districts have contrasting ways of addressing President Trump's policies. Their final pitches come as the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds that just 37% of likely voters nationwide have a favorable impression of the president. Here's Carmen Russell-Sluchansky of member station WHYY.
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CARMEN RUSSELL-SLUCHANSKY, BYLINE: It's a crisp fall Saturday at the Wrightstown Farmers Market, where vendors are promoting their recent harvest of pumpkins and local apple cider. This is one of the country's most competitive House districts and is currently held by GOP Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick. Republican Tom Esposito (ph) says he plans to vote for Fitzpatrick.
TOM ESPOSITO: I do consider Fitzpatrick more of a moderate conservative, which is what we need.
RUSSELL-SLUCHANSKY: Fitzpatrick has presented himself as a moderate since he first ran to replace his brother, former Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick, in 2016. Facing the cycle's tough political environment, he has leaned into that depiction and touts that his votes against Trump's proposals have drawn the president's ire.
BRIAN FITZPATRICK: I'm ranked No. 1 most independent on every scorecard, every single metric. The president has made his thoughts clear about how he feels about me.
RUSSELL-SLUCHANSKY: President never endorsed Fitzpatrick's reelection bid. Halfway across the state, Republican Congressman Scott Perry of Dauphin County is an unabashed ally of the President. He did receive Trump's endorsement. In a recent interview with Newsmax, he blamed President Trump's low poll numbers on the media.
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SCOTT PERRY: All they get is bad news from the people that have the biggest megaphone that are screaming that they hate Donald Trump 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A lot of great things are happening in the world.
RUSSELL-SLUCHANSKY: Some prominent local Republicans, like former state Treasurer Walter Cohen, say they'll vote for Perry's challenger, Democratic candidate Janelle Stelson.
WALTER COHEN: We do not need a member of Congress that is that closely tied under the strings of Donald Trump.
RUSSELL-SLUCHANSKY: But Trump won this district three times, and some Republicans call Perry's association with the president a net positive.
For NPR News, I'm Carmen Russell-Sluchansky in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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