Republican Rep. Fred Upton, the former House Energy and Commerce chairman, could be in for a competitive race in Michigan’s 6th District, a Democratic poll showed.

The poll, paid for by Upton’s opponent Matt Longjohn, showed Upton with a 5-point lead despite Longjohn’s low name recognition.

Forty-nine percent of those surveyed backed the incumbent compared to 44 percent who supported Longjohn in an initial head-to-head survey, according to the polling memo shared first with Roll Call.

Upton’s lead grew to 6 points when factoring in third-party candidate Stephen Young of the U.S. Taxpayers Party. Young took 3 percent, while 47 percent backed Upton and 41 percent supported Longjohn.

First elected in 1986, Upton had 82 percent name recognition. Survey respondents were split on their views of the longtime congressman, with 42 percent rating him favorably and 40 percent unfavorably.