2018 General Election Elected 56 – 43
Father and Son.
Robert F. Casey Sr.(1921 – 2006) was governor of Pennsylvania — an office Bob Casey Jr sought, but did not win. First Pennsylvania Auditor General; then State Treasurer, Bob Casey, Jr got a couple of phone calls. Senator Harry Reid called. Senator Chuck Schumer called. Each urged him to run for the Senate.
Those were not simple phone calls. Inviting Bob Casey Jrhttp://www.bobcasey.com/ to run for the US Senate meant stepping into abortion politics. Not that abortion is the only issue that concerns Casey or the people of Pennsylvania. Bob Casey Jr was then and still is a moderate Democrat who addresses many issues unrelated to abortion. Here are some of his issues::
- Changing Washington through bipartisan reforms
- Spending cuts to stay within reasonable spending limits
- Eliminating automatic pay raises for Senators and strengthening ethics rules for Senators
- Tax cuts for the middle classes
- Ending tax breaks for oil companies and corporations.
- Tougher regulations for banks and large corporations.
- Sanctions for China for illegal dumping of products
- Protection of health care for seniors and the disabled
- Support for the ACA
- Support for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants
- Rights for the LGBT community
- Opposition to school vouchers
- Support for gun rights
Bob Casey Jr can never escape the issue of abortion. His father refused to promise not to speak about his opposition to abortion. So, he was not allowed to speak at the 1992 Democratic convention. Bob Casey Jrinsists that he is anti-abortion. he could. If he could, he would overturn Roe v. Wade. He has, for instance, opposed funding for embryonic stem cell research.
Like his father, he went to the Jesuit Scranton Prep School, the College of Holy Cross, and a Catholic Law School. Like his father, he is a devout Roman Catholic and sees his positions on abortion and related issues as derived from his Catholicism.
Bob Casey Jr. is, nevertheless, not beloved by the anti-abortion movement. He supported the Supreme Court appointments of John Roberts and Samuel Alito. He also supported the appointments of Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor. He opposed the appointment of Neil Gorsuch. He has opposed prohibitions against funding Planned Parenthood. He opposed policies that precluded US support for overseas organizations that fund abortions. He supports requiring health insurance plans to cover birth control at no additional cost. He has sought to find non-judgmental, non-ideological ways to support pregnant women choosing how to proceed with their lives.
He may be anti-abortion, but not like his father. Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer found a Senator who was a fit for Pennsylvania and for the Senate itself. Bob Casey Jr is seeking his third term. The last Democrat to serve two terms in the Senate from Pennsylvania was first elected in 1956. If Bob Casey Jr is reelected, he will be the first Pennsylvania Democrat in US history to be elected to three terms to the US Senate.I
Bob Casey Jr. is creating a new signature issue. He is creating an identity that is not so moderate. He is just plain angry at Donald Trump. He showed up at the airport to greet refugees who Trump banned. When James Comey was fired, Bob Casey Jr called Trump’s behavior Nixonian. In a state that was part of Hillary’s failed firewall, Bob Casey Jr’s response has not been cautious. Bob Casey Jr is vying to be a leader of the resistance. He is leading the resistance wearing a suit and tie.
Help Bob Casey Jrhttp://www.bobcasey.com/succeed in his resistance. Provide him with some support. Make that support monthly, even if it is a small amount. Monthly support is valuable.
