The open New Jersey 7th district race between Democrat Linda Stender and Republican Leonard Lance is proving to be the battleground that both parties expected it would be.

A new poll conducted for Stender’s campaign shows the state Assemblywoman with a 3-point lead over the state Senator, but the race is still within the survey’s 4.4-point margin of error.

The poll, conducted by the Democratic firm Anzalone Liszt Research, showed Stender ahead 36 percent to 33 percent with two independent candidates combining for 11 percent and a full 20 percent of voters undecided.

The poll found that the independent candidates are hurting Lance more than Stender. Without them in the race, Stender had just a 1-point lead.

The telephone survey of 500 likely voters was conducted Aug. 20-25.