HARRISBURG, Pa. — Sen. Bob Casey raised eyebrows debating GOP challenger Dave McCormick Thursday night time when the Scranton native refused to say which Democrat can be higher for Pennsylvania — Vice President Kamala Harris or former candidate President Biden.
Casey initially dodged ABC27 moderator Dennis Owens’ query, then visibly bit his lip earlier than responding when pressed.
“Oh, I don’t know, Dennis. We’ll by no means know the reply to that,” the Democrat mentioned. “The voters are going to decide.”
After all, the choice of the almost 14.5 million Individuals who voted for Biden — one other Scranton native — on this yr’s Democratic primaries was thrown out the window.
The Casey-McCormick face-off in Harrisburg was the primary of three deliberate debates within the tight race; they’ve agreed to satisfy once more in Philadelphia Oct. 15 and Pittsburgh on an unspecified date.
McCormick tried to color Casey as “weak” and “liberal” of their first matchup, tying the senator’s voting report to Biden and Harris whereas repeatedly touting his marketing campaign’s opposition web site in regards to the incumbent, CaseyLies.com.
“You need to ask your self: Why is a senator with an 18-year observe report who ought to be capable to run on his report working his whole marketing campaign with a damaging set of assaults on me, most of them lies?” McCormick mentioned.
Casey largely targeted his assaults on McCormick’s previous residence in Connecticut whereas CEO of the hedge fund Bridgewater Associates.
When Casey cited an August 2023 AP article alleging McCormick lied about his Pennsylvania residency, the businessman fired again fiercely.
“The truth that he received some reporter on the Related Press to validate his lies or reinforce his lies doesn’t imply it’s true,” the Republican replied.
McCormick moved again to Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood in 2022 to run for Senate however grew up in Bloomsburg.
Each males accused one another of not standing as much as their get together’s extra “excessive” factions, significantly on border safety.
McCormick — who has visited the US-Mexico border twice — slammed Casey for neglecting to go in any respect.
“Senator, you communicate rather a lot in regards to the border. I counsel you go,” McCormick mentioned. “I’ve been to the border extra occasions than the senator and the border czar.”
“I assume Mr. McCormick is aware of extra about border safety than the Border Patrol. I don’t suppose so,” Casey retorted.
Casey additionally went after McCormick for not standing as much as former President Donald Trump when he persuaded Senate Republicans to kill a bipartisan border invoice.
“Management can be taking over the chief of your individual get together and supporting the invoice,” Casey mentioned.
McCormick was not serving in authorities when GOP senators killed the invoice earlier this yr.
At an Individuals for Prosperity Motion watch get together down the street, attendees praised McCormick’s efficiency.
Invoice Gramlich, a 60-year-old self-employed home-improvement contractor, has volunteered with AFP Motion in Pennsylvania for the previous eight years and canvassed on McCormick’s behalf this yr.
Gramlich informed The Put up this election feels totally different: McCormick, he mentioned, is a “extra viable candidate.” (The controversial Dr. Mehmet Oz misplaced to Democratic Sen. John Fetterman in 2022.)
“He’s energized, and persons are very captivated with him working for this election in opposition to Bob Casey,” he mentioned.
“His credentials are actually, actually good, he’s a top-notch chief,” he added, citing the West Level graduate’s enterprise accomplishments and repair as a paratrooper within the 82nd Airborne Division.
AFP PA Senior Adviser Emily Greene mentioned her group of greater than 230 canvassers goals to knock on 1 million doorways earlier than Election Day — and has already hit greater than 750,000 since April.
She mentioned that “nobody is feeling prosperity below this present economic system,” so that they’re on the lookout for change.
“They need one thing totally different,” she mentioned. “They need to truly discover prosperity, they usually’re not doing it by means of Sen. Bob Casey’s management.”
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