Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger Dave McCormick squared off of their first debate Thursday night, lower than 5 weeks forward of what’s anticipated to be some of the intently watched races this election cycle.
Casey and McCormick took the controversy stage Thursday at 8 p.m. in Harrisburg, the place the 2 traded barbs over points such because the financial system and inflation, immigration, abortion. The race, which is rated as “leans Democrat” by the Prepare dinner Political Report, is predicted to be one of many tightest Senate races throughout the nation, with Casey himself acknowledging earlier this yr that it will likely be a “shut, powerful race.”
Casey has lengthy been a Pennsylvania Democratic stalwart, first profitable his election to the U.S. Senate in 2007. The Casey title additionally has deep roots within the state, with Bob Casey Sr., the senator’s father, serving because the Keystone State’s governor from 1987 to 1995, following years of serving in numerous different elected roles.
McCormick is an Military fight veteran and former CEO of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, who served because the Underneath Secretary of Commerce for Trade and Safety in addition to Underneath Secretary of the Treasury for Worldwide Affairs beneath former President George W. Bush’s administration. Former President Donald Trump endorsed McCormick in April, lauding him as a “a superb man” who “needs to run a superb ship.”
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The Senate race comes because the federal election spotlights Pennsylvania as soon as once more as a key battleground state that may probably decide the result of the presidential election. Former President Donald Trump narrowly received the state in his profitable 2016 election towards former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whereas President Biden declared victory within the Keystone State within the 2020 election.
Because the pair squared off for the primary of two debates forward of Nov. 5, Fox Information Digital compiled the highest 5 moments of Thursday’s occasion.
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Casey, McCormick weigh in on federal election: ‘very shut’ race
Casey and McCormick each weighed in on the federal election, together with Casey lauding Harris following his staunch help of Biden earlier than the president finally dropped out of the 2024 race as considerations about his psychological acuity and age mounted over the summer season.
“Out of your perspective, who’s the higher candidate for Pennsylvania? Biden or Harris?” moderator and ABC27 anchor Dennis Owens requested Casey.
“I feel Vice President Harris, who’s operating a powerful marketing campaign, I feel she’ll carry Pennsylvania. It will be very shut, identical to the Senate race might be shut. However she’s operating a powerful marketing campaign. However the individuals of our state must make two primary choices – along with different statewide races. They’ve determined within the presidential race, they usually must resolve our race, and this race could be very clear,” Casey responded.
When requested whether or not he believes Biden or Harris could be a greater president for Pennsylvania voters, Casey disregarded delivering a direct reply.
“Oh, I do not know, Dennis. I imply, we’ll by no means know the reply to that, however the voters are gonna decide,” he mentioned.
McCormick, alternatively, was requested if he might provide one instance the place he doesn’t agree with Trump after slamming Casey throughout the debate for overwhelmingly voting with Biden during the last three and a half years.
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“[Trump] just lately mentioned that he needed to do away with the ban on SALT taxes, which Sen. Casey supported, too” McCormick responded. “Pay attention, that is a that is a tax break for millionaires in New York and California on the expense of PA taxpayers. So I would not help that.”
“However pay attention, Senator Casey stood subsequent to Joe Biden when he might hardly end a sentence. We noticed this on the controversy stage, he mentioned ‘he is able to go,'” McCormick continued, referring to Casey’s help of Biden remaining within the presidential race till Biden finally dropped out. “Then Sen. Casey mentioned, ‘Kamala Harris is nice. You are going to love her once you get to know her.’ This can be a lady who, in the previous couple of years, says she needed to ban fracking, legalize unlawful immigration, give them federal advantages, take away our weapons, defund the police. That is her place, so she’s flip-flopped on all the things, and Bob Casey standing there by her.”
Buying and selling barbs over ‘lies’
Each candidates accused the opposite of “lies” all through the controversy, together with McCormick touting a brand new web site referred to as CaseyLies.com, and Casey accusing McCormick of misrepresenting himself as a Pennsylvanian.
“To your viewers tonight, I’ve an internet site that is been established immediately, it is simply been launched, CaseyLies.com. You may go and see the precise information by third-party sources of all of the issues he is saying. There might be lies all through. However you must ask your self, ‘Why is a senator with an 18-year monitor report, who ought to have the ability to run on his report, operating his total marketing campaign with a destructive set of assaults on me, most of them lies?’” McCormick mentioned in the direction of the beginning of the controversy.
McCormick claimed that Casey typically launched “lies” at him throughout the debate as a result of he “does not have a monitor report” within the Senate to run on.
Casey shot again throughout the debate that McCormick has misrepresented himself as a full-fledged Pennsylvanian.
“We have heard a few instances tonight about telling lies, however in all probability the largest lie instructed on this complete election, that in all probability most Pennsylvanians have by no means heard an even bigger lie, was the lie when my opponent mentioned he lived in Pennsylvania, when he was dwelling in Connecticut. The Related Press on August the 14th, 2023, did a narrative that proved that he was dwelling in Connecticut,” Casey mentioned.
McCormick defended that he was born in Pennsylvania and has spent “nearly all of my life” there, but in addition lived in Connecticut for years when he served as CEO of Bridgewater Associates.
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Casey, McCormick spar over ‘shrinkflation’ vs. inflation
The financial system is among the many prime considerations for voters in Pennsylvania, in addition to the nation at giant, with each candidates outlining how they’d sort out spiraling inflation if re-elected or elected to the Senate, and what they consider is behind the rise in customers’ prices.
“Costs are too excessive, particularly once you go to the grocery retailer to purchase meals or home goods, objects that individuals want each week, or at the very least each different week. And these massive conglomerates, these massive companies, rig these costs and jack them as much as ranges we have by no means seen, all whereas they’re getting report earnings,” Casey mentioned, whereas defending his efforts concentrating on companies he has accused of “greedflation.”
So-called greedflation is known as companies allegedly exploiting inflation woes by rising costs on customers to supply better earnings.
“We will take it on by passing a worth gouging invoice to go after these corporations, maintain them accountable,” Casey mentioned.
The Democratic senator additionally addressed his marketing campaign towards “shrinkflation,” which he defined as companies shrinking merchandise for customers whereas not reducing costs.
“We did a report on shrinkflation, which coated a whole lot of corporations across the nation. And if that is taking place with regard to a Pennsylvania firm or every other firm across the nation, they need to be held accountable. Once they take a product, shrink the contents of the product, or what’s in a bag, and do not shrink the value, that is misleading. That is ripping individuals off,” he mentioned, including that such corporations ought to be held legally accountable.
McCormick shot again that larger prices on Individuals lately is because of “uncontrolled spending” by the hands of Casey and different Democrats, together with Vice President Kamala Harris and President Biden.
“Once you’ve spent your total life in public service, elected workplace, 30 years, you are like a hammer on the lookout for a nail. The reason for inflation is the insurance policies, the out-of-control spending of Biden, Harris and Casey. Bob Casey voted 100% of the time for that $5 trillion of latest spending. The consultants on the time, Larry Summers, the San Francisco Fed, mentioned this may create inflation,” McCormick mentioned.
“Bob Casey does not perceive how the financial system works. That is why he is making an attempt to do all this financial voodoo stuff with worth controls,” he later charged.
McCormick, Casey make clear their abortion stances
Casey and McCormick had been each grilled about their present abortion stances throughout the debate, as abortion as soon as once more sits atop many citizens’ listing of election considerations following the Supreme Court docket’s 2022 choice to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Casey positioned himself as a pro-life Democrat earlier in his profession, however he voted to codify abortion protections nationwide following the overturning of Roe.
“In 2022, when the Supreme Court docket overturned a 49-year proper, it overturned Roe v. Wade, I feel everybody needed to decide, together with senators. I decided to help the Ladies’s Well being Safety Act. I do not help Republican efforts to ban abortion throughout the nation,” Casey mentioned.
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McCormick was questioned about his remarks in 2022 that he helps uncommon exceptions for abortion, reminiscent of when the well being of the mom is in danger, and has since mentioned that he helps extra exceptions for abortion.
“That is a particularly polarizing subject. As you understand, I’ve six daughters, so that is one thing we spend time speaking about. I consider this ought to be a state’s proper. I consider states ought to resolve. Pennsylvania has had a regulation. It has been supported by Democrats and Republicans, like was signed into regulation by the Senator’s father, Governor Casey. I help the three exceptions. I might not favor an abortion ban of any variety,” McCormick responded.
Immigration: Casey requested about sheriff blaming him for son’s fentanyl overdose
Casey just lately got here beneath fireplace from a Pennsylvania sheriff who slammed the Democratic senator’s border insurance policies for the inflow of fentanyl into the U.S., which the dad mentioned had led to his son’s loss of life.
“We will’t deliver again the individuals we’ve misplaced. However we will do away with the weak politicians like Bob Casey who let it occur,” Blair County Sheriff Jim Ott mentioned in a latest McCormick marketing campaign advert.
Casey was requested concerning the sheriff’s remarks throughout his debate Thursday.
“Mr. Casey, the Blair County Sheriff, blames you for the fentanyl loss of life of his son, saying you haven’t performed sufficient to safe the border. What’s your response to that,” Owens requested.
“I met so many households throughout the state, and whether or not it is a sheriff in Blair County or a mother in Allegheny County, Janet that I met, who talked about her daughter, Brianna, that is an terrible, terrible tragedy for these households. That is why we have to spend money on the methods that we all know work. [McCormick] will not do this, as a result of he is weak within the face of the political strain from his personal social gathering. . . . We will clear up this downside by investing within the know-how, hiring hundreds extra Border Patrol, so we will examine each single automobile coming throughout the border,” he mentioned.
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Amid the immigration debate, McCormick blamed the Biden-Harris administration and Casey for the immigration disaster on the southern border.
“The border disaster is the direct results of the weak point of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. And Bob Casey supported them each second. What chutzpah to run an advert on how powerful he’s on the border, when he voted towards funding for the Border Patrol. He ran an advert in entrance of the wall that he voted towards. He voted for sanctuary cities, he voted for federal advantages for unlawful immigrants. And the fentanyl disaster that is come throughout our border is the direct results of the weak point of Bob Casey not standing as much as these horrible cartels,” McCormick argued.
The pair have agreed to a different debate, subsequent taking the identical stage in Philadelphia on Oct. 15.
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