In 2006, Bryan Lentz was running for a seat in Pennsylvania’s 161st district. On Oct. 16, 2006, Lentz promised his constituents he would forego a government-funded car and per diem reimbursements, saying, ”I don’t intend on collecting a $128 a day per diem. I think I’m supposed to go out there to serve the people.’”

On Jan. 2, 2007, Bryan Lentz filed for his first per diem reimbursement as an elected official. Two years later, on Jan. 27, 2009, Lentz began using a government-funded car.

Lentz, the Democrat state representative hoping to replace Joe Sestak in Pennsylvania’s 7th district, is facing former U.S. attorney Pat Meehan in one of the commonwealth’s most-watched congressional contests. Lentz has already been criticized by PA2010.com for claiming he declined the state’s infamous pay raise, despite the fact that he wasn’t in office when that pay raise took place.

“Bryan Lentz is a typical politician,” Meehan spokesperson Virginia Davis told Battle ’10. “He says one thing as a candidate and does something completely different as an elected official.”

“How can voters trust him to reform Washington when he didn’t reform Harrisburg? This is the ultimate slap in the face to voters.” Davis characterized Lentz’s actions as indicative of a “candidate who will say whatever it takes to try to win election.”

The Lentz campaign issued a written statement to Battle ‘10 defending their record.

“In his short time in Harrisburg, Bryan Lentz has voted on numerous measures for reforming our state legislature and supported additional cost-saving measures, including cutting spending on the state legislature by 20 percent, a measure that would save taxpayers $66 million a year.”

Meehan, who campaigned last month with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, has announced more than $725,000 raised in the most recent quarter, with more than $1.5 million in cash on hand heading into the final four weeks before Election Day.

Meehan has made the extension of the Bush-era tax cuts a central point of his campaign, and emphasized economic recovery as a priority if elected. Lentz was endorsed by President Obama last month.