'I can’t do what I’m elected to do without you': Parker boosts Senator Casey's reelection bid

U.S. Senator Bob Casey reelection bid.

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — U.S. Senator Bob Casey came out swinging at a campaign stop in Philadelphia Friday, where his reelection bid got a boost from organized labor and Mayor Cherelle Parker.

“Senator Casey, thank you for delivering for our city. I can’t do what I’m elected to do without you,” said Parker at the Laborers Training Center on North Broad Street.

Parker said Casey’s reelection is “essential” — a sentiment shared by Democrats nationally who want to retain control of the U.S. Senate.

She cited funding for SEPTA, infrastructure, and the creation of a Hydrogen Hub in the city as examples of Casey’s work.

Casey, who can often be subdued in style, seemed to catch some of Parker’s energy, showing outrage not only at what he called “greedflation,” blaming corporations for driving up prices with profit-taking, but also his Republican opponent David McCormick’s response to it, where he defended the corporations for jacking up those prices, saying it’s not their fault.

Republicans have rallied around McCormick, a deep-pocketed businessman who lost a Senate primary two years ago after spending $14 million of his own money. He has outraised Casey so far, with the election still nine months away, but has taken heat for apparently living in Connecticut, a criticism Casey exploited in his first campaign event here, saying the election is about “Pennsylvania values.”

“And I’ve fought for those values every day that I’ve been in the U.S. Senate,” Casey said.

McCormick’s campaign emailed a response, saying Casey has not authored a single substantive law in his three terms in Congress. McCormick is expected to easily beat his primary opponent, Brandi Tomasetti, but state Democratic Party Chair Sharif Street says he’ll have a tougher time in the general election.

Casey portrayed himself as a champion of women’s rights, democracy, workers, children, veterans, and seniors, and McCormick as the candidate of corporate billionaires.

“It’s going to be a big contrast in this race. Who’s on the side of families and who’s on the side of big corporations.”

The McCormick campaign says McCormick wants to “shake things up in Washington.”