Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey looks to a future without Trump on the ballot
Democratic Sen. Bob Casey is one of the longest-serving senators in Pennsylvania’s history.
Democratic Sen. Bob Casey is one of the longest-serving senators in Pennsylvania’s history. But his run of electoral success ended last month when he narrowly lost to Republican challenger Dave McCormick.
Now, with just weeks remaining in his 18-year Senate career, Casey is reflecting on what went wrong for him and his party in what was the most consequential battleground state on the map. Casey was the only Democratic Senate candidate running in a presidential battleground who lost his race, falling to McCormick by roughly 15,200 votes as President-elect Donald Trump built a far more substantial victory in the Keystone State than he did in 2016.
Although Democrats were wrecked up and down the ballot in Pennsylvania, Casey doesn’t think the party needs to rip up its playbook. In fact, he thinks the factor that will help them the most is not having to face Trump on the ballot again.
“I think he’s about as strong a Republican candidate as they’ve had for president in my lifetime,” said Casey, who has served in statewide office for three decades and whose father served as a two-term governor of the state.
In an interview with NBC News, Casey discussed this year’s campaign, what’s next for him and his party, and the highlights of his Senate career.
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