Washington, D.C. ? For all the primaries testing tea party clout and veteran senators’ ability to survive, a special House election in southwestern Pennsylvania is the multimillion-dollar battleground of choice today for the two political parties, previewing themes for a fall campaign shadowed by recession and voter discontent.

Competing economic prescriptions, the appeal of President Barack Obama’s health care legislation, the Republicans’ ability to woo crossover support from independents and Democrats all are at issue, according to officials in both parties, in a race that also features a struggle for the political high ground as Washington outsider.

The House race features Republican Tim Burns against Democrat Mark Critz to fill out the final few months in the term of the late Democratic Rep. John Murtha.