It's lawyers versus doctors in the 13th Congressional District, where the candidates' professions and positions on Pennsylvania's medical malpractice insurance crisis are reflected in the latest lists of contributors to the two campaigns.

According to finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission, lawyer and two-time incumbent Democrat Joseph Hoeffel's biggest donors include the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, while the biggest givers to Republican challenger Melissa Brown, an ophthalmologist and former president of the Montgomery County Medical Association, include the American Medical Association.

The controversy over medical malpractice insurance - which typically pits lawyers against doctors - is one of the major issues in the increasingly heated campaign for the seat from the newly remapped Montgomery County/Northeast Philadelphia district.

Hoeffel has opposed legislation in Congress that would place a fixed ceiling (determined by individual states) on pain-and-suffering jury awards. Instead, he has proposed limiting jury awards while giving judges the option to increase such judgments.

Brown, on the other hand, supports absolute limits on jury awards, saying dramatic change is necessary to keep doctors from leaving the state - and the profession - because of the increasing expense and decreasing availability of malpractice insurance.

A result: Hoeffel's records through Sept. 30 show he has received one $4,000 contribution, two for $2,000, and two more of $1,000 each from the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

And Brown has received two $5,000 contributions from the American Medical Association, two at $5,000 from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, one $2,000 donation from the American Society of Anesthesiologists, and $1,000 from the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, as well as a number of contributions in the $500 to $1,000 range from doctors and medical associations.

Both Hoeffel and Brown said there's definitely a connection between who's saying what and who gives to whom. "We take the positions we take, and the support follows," Hoeffel said.

But both candidates insist that on medical malpractice and other issues, there's no quid-pro-quo. Brown said she tells prospective donors: "There are no promises here. If you're going to contribute to my campaign, make sure it's because... you think I will be a good member of Congress."

Because of personal, past professional, ideological and other considerations - and in the finest tradition of hedged political bets and the power of incumbency - both Hoeffel and Brown have received contributions not in keeping with the larger trend.

Hoeffel has received a $2,500 contribution from the American Physical Therapy Association, $1,500 contributions from the American Medical Association and American Hospital Association, and four $1,000 contributions apiece from the American College of Emergency Physicians and American Hospital Association.

Meanwhile, the law firm of Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen, which twice gave $1,000 to Hoeffel, also contributed $500 to Brown.

Overall, as of Sept. 30, records show Hoeffel reported raising $1.2 million.

Brown has raised $482,007 and has lent her campaign $315,000. Along with dividends and other revenue sources, she has come up with a total of $807,653.

But on straight fund-raising for the reporting period of July 1 through Sept. 30, Brown actually had a slight edge: $224,375 to $207,998 for Hoeffel.

Brown said this is hard evidence that what originally was thought to be a walkover for Hoeffel has become a real race.

"What I've seen now over the last couple of months is people start coming aboard," said Brown, 51, who lives in Flourtown. "The campaign is starting to pick up in contributions and interest."

But without providing any details, Hoeffel said: "Polling I have seen shows I have a lead... . I'm confident but not overconfident, taking nothing for granted."

Votes from the new Northeast Philadelphia section of the district may determine the outcome.

Though she's a Republican and the Northeast is heavily Democratic, Brown appears to have made major inroads by hammering away at the federal Section 8 rent-subsidy program.

Section 8 offers rental assistance to low-income individuals as well as to seniors and the disabled. Recipients pay 30 percent of their income toward rent, and the government pays the rest.

The program has long been an extremely sore point in the area, where many residents believe that Section 8 recipients are contributing to the deterioration of their blocks and neighborhoods.

Brown has called for a freeze on the federally funded, locally administered program until changes and new controls are instituted to screen out people with current or past criminal records. She particularly has opposed a proposed expansion of the program to provide not just rent subsidies but help for needy people to buy homes.

Hoeffel supports the housing-purchase assistance and, while agreeing that stricter policing and inspections are necessary, doesn't believe the program needs to be frozen while changes are put into effect.

Last week, Hoeffel criticized Brown for distributing campaign literature that depicts Hoeffel and Mayor Street cavalierly and unfeelingly disbursing Section 8 funds because the program doesn't affect their neighborhoods.

"It's a thinly veiled attempt to scare voters and fan racial fears... appealing to the very worst in us," said Hoeffel, 52, of Abington. "It's disgusting.

But, Brown said, "I do not believe this is a racial issue. I believe the issue is not one of black and white but of success and failure" of the program.

There is a third candidate in the race: John McDermott of Northeast Philadelphia, who is running on the Constitution Party line. Under federal guidelines, he is not required to file campaign finance reports.