Casey is on his third trip to Pakistan, aiming to stop the transportation of substances used to make IEDs, the number one killer of U.S troops, into neighboring Afghanistan.

J Street, a political group for “pro-Israeli and pro-peace Americans,” delivered about a thousand signed postcards this week to Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey as part of their effort to lobby elected officials to support a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Tom Smith added a big name to his nascent bid for U.S. Senate today. Mark Harris, manager of Pat Toomey’s successful effort in 2010, will serve as general consultant for Smith’s campaign to take on Senator Bob Casey.

Looking to build your campaign resume without the hassle of an opponent? Pennsylvania’s senior Senator, Bob Casey Jr., is hiring interns in the Philadelphia area for his 2012 re-election campaign.

The state’s top election official came out today in support of a GOP-backed effort to require voters to show photo identification every time they cast a ballot in Pennsylvania.

Tea Party leader and mining industry veteran Tom Smith told PoliticsPA that he was willing and able to give his campaign a financial boost. A review of his past campaign contributions backs up the claim: Smith has contributed over $185,000 to a variety of Republican candidates over the past decade.

A new name has surfaced in the hunt for the GOP nomination: Tom Smith, Chairman of the Indiana-Armstrong Patriots. The coal industry veteran said he will formally announce his candidacy after Labor Day, and says that he will provide enough seed money to make a serious run.

Former 12th District Congressional candidate Tim Burns has met with the National Republican Senatorial Committee as he considers mounting a challenge to U.S. Senator Bob Casey, according to a report published by National Journal staff writer (and former PoliticsPA editor) Alex Roarty.

Joe Miller shocked the Republican establishment last year with his long-shot primary victory over incumbent Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski. Senate Candidate Marc Scaringi is hoping to capture some of the magic. Scaringi this week welcomed Miller Communications Director Randy DeSoto to his campaign.

Laureen Cummings, the founder of the Scranton Tea Party, is mulling a run against Bob Casey in 2012. She submitted an op-ed this week to the Delaware County Daily Times entitled “Casey, Dems provide no solutions to debt.”