WASHINGTON - Nearly half of the money raised in the fierce Pennsylvania campaign between battling incumbents Rep. George W. Gekas and Rep. Tim Holden came from out-of-state donors, according to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission.

The battle between Gekas, a ten-term Republican, and Holden, a five-term Democrat, is being closely watched across the nation. Analysts have said the race, initially expected to be an easy win for Gekas but now neck-and-neck, could determine which party will be in power after the Nov. 5 election.

"What we're seeing here is ideological PACs (political action committees) giving to the candidates," said Shirley Anne Warshaw, a Gettysburg College political scientist. "Gekas is incredibly vulnerable, and both sides pour money into the race when parties find a vulnerable candidate."

The newly-drawn 17th congressional district includes 60 percent of Gekas's longtime GOP-friendly territory, but the race has tightened in large part because of aggressive campaigning by Holden, who touts himself as a conservative Democrat.

Collectively, Gekas and Holden raised $705,546 in itemized contributions between July 1 and Sept. 30. Their quarterly financial reports were available Monday, a day before the FEC filing deadline. Holden had a slight edge, with $364,716 raised during that time, while Gekas collected $340,830, the FEC reports show.

But an Associated Press analysis of the data Monday reveals that $345,384 of the total amount - 48.9 percent - was sent to Pennsylvania from out-of-state unions, congressional candidates and corporations. The analysis looked at the mailing addresses from which the money was sent, and does not account for local contributions that may have been funnelled through national committees.

Again, Holden had an edge in the out-of-state donations, collecting $192,059, or 52.6 percent of his total. Gekas, meanwhile, was close behind with $153,325 - 45 percent - from donors beyond Pennsylvania's borders.

Both candidates preferred to focus on their local rather than out-of-state support.

Gekas "is happy with the support he's received from within Pennsylvania and within the district," said spokesman Wendell Packard. "We're right where we want to be and we're moving forward."

But Holden campaign manager Bruce Andrews said the Democrat actually raised more from within the five-county district in central Pennsylvania, collecting $74,806 to Gekas's $33,811.

"That just goes to show the strong local support that Tim's receiving," Andrews said. "We've gotten unbelievable amounts from average people. We're gratified from the strength we've gotten from in the district."

One of every five dollars given to Holden - 20 percent - came from labor unions. Union money accounted for at least $74,225 of his total contributions over the three-month period, records show.

That's not surprising, political analysts said, considering that unions generally give to Democratic candidates - even those who tout themselves as socially conservative, as Holden does.

"You've got to expect, conservative or liberal or whatever the hell they call themselves, that a Democrat would still vote for a Democratic speaker of the House," said Mickey Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University poll, which polls in Pennsylvania. "And labor wants a Democratic (controlled) House."

Gekas, on the other hand, got thousands of dollars from, for example, pharmaceutical corporations like Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline and banks like MBNA and Wachovia.

"He is not influenced by the money," Packard said of Gekas. "People buy into his agenda - not the other way around."

Both campaigns also received unitemized contributions - those that amount to less than $200. Holden collected $39,736 in unitemized donations; Gekas raised $76,443. Overall, Holden spent $545,246 during the three-month period and has $574,533 in cash on hand, the FEC reports show. Gekas spent $332,816 and has $486,085 in the bank.