Bob Casey announces reelection bid, in boost to Democrats’ 2024 plans
Ryan King
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Incumbent Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) announced his reelection bid Monday, bolstering the Democrats’ chances of retaining the Senate in 2024.
Casey’s seat is widely regarded as one of the more competitive ones in the 2024 battle for the Senate seat, given Pennsylvania’s history of swinging between the parties. Despite the state’s battleground status, Casey has previously defended his seat by considerable margins in past elections.
“Folks, I’m running for re-election. There’s still more work to do to cut through the gridlock, stand up to powerful special interests, and make the lives of hardworking Pennsylvanians easier. The map is back, and I’m not done yet,” Casey tweeted.
https://twitter.com/Bob_Casey/status/1645366032205324289?s=20
In a campaign launch video, Casey showcased a map of Pennsylvania and emphasized that there are 67 counties where he needs to fight for votes.
During his past reelection bid in 2018, Casey beat his Republican rival 55.7% to 42.6% in a blue wave year. He also easily cruised to victory in 2012 and 2006. He is the son of former Gov. Bob Casey Sr. (D-PA) and has sought to cast himself as a blue-collar Democrat while taking more moderate positions on issues like abortion.
Earlier this year, Casey’s office revealed that he successfully underwent surgery for prostate cancer. The senator has since returned to the upper chamber and claims that he feels fully recovered.
Behind the scenes, Republicans have been gearing up to take down Casey. One of the top speculated contenders, Businessman David McCormick, released a book last month and has remained very active on the political scene in the Keystone State.
McCormick was narrowly bested by celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz in the GOP primary for the contest to fill the seat vacated by former Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA). Oz ultimately lost the general election to Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), marking a one-seat pickup for the Democrats.
Another speculated contender is former GOP gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano, who lost to Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) handily in the 2022 midterm elections.
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Overall, Democrats find themselves on the defensive heading into the 2024 Senate race and will be forced to defend 23 seats, three of which are held by Democratic-aligned independent senators. Republicans only have to defend 11.
Some of the states Democrats must defend in 2024 include three red states — Montana, Ohio, and West Virginia.