Pennsylvania’s senior senator – Bob Casey Jr. – formally launched his campaign for a fourth term in Washington on Monday morning.

“I’m running for re-election because with so much on the line for Pennsylvania’s working families, I want to keep delivering results for Pennsylvania,” said Casey in a prepared statement. “There’s still more work to cut through the gridlock, stand up to powerful corporate special interests, and make the lives of hardworking Pennsylvanians a little bit easier. I won’t back down from any fight for communities and families across our Commonwealth.”

Casey listed as his most notable accomplishments:

• Taking on China and protecting Pennsylvania jobs. He fought to pass the CHIPS Act to give American workers a leg up and is fighting back against unfair trade practices by China.
• Breaking through Washington gridlock to make a meaningful difference in Pennsylvanians’ lives. Casey fought to pass landmark legislation to cap the cost of insulin for seniors and expand access to veterans’ health care.
• Delivering investments and federal dollars back to Pennsylvania. He’s bringing billions in infrastructure investments to the Commonwealth, including fully funding the Montgomery Locks and Dam project on the Upper Ohio in the first year of the infrastructure law.
• Standing up for Pennsylvania’s children and families. Casey is helping parents with the cost of raising kids by fighting to make child care more affordable and he’s keeping children safe by passing the STURDY Act, a law to strengthen safety standards to stop furniture accidents that have devastated too many families. He also fought to pass his bipartisan Pregnant Workers Fairness Act which helps ensure pregnant workers are treated fairly on the job.
• Fighting for our seniors. As the Chair of the Senate Aging Committee, Casey is a relentless champion for seniors. He’s standing up to Wall Street banks in order to protect pensions, and opposing efforts to privatize Social Security in the stock market.

Casey is a key figure in the Democratic Party’s quest to retain the U.S. Senate. Presently, Dems hold a 51-49 majority in the chamber but will be challenged to hold onto seats in numerous states in 2024.

Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman Sharif Street issued the following statement that read, “Pennsylvanians have elected Senator Casey three times because they know that he always fights for our working families. He’s spent his life fighting for the dignity of a liveable wage and has been a defender of Pennsylvania’s hardworking people. He’s standing up to the ultra-wealthy and special interests that threaten Pennsylvania’s hardworking people – from countries like China that threaten our jobs, to big insurance companies that are raising our health care costs. Senator Casey is a proven leader.”

National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Philip Letsou begged to differ. “From risking Pennsylvania workers’ pensions in Chinese state-run companies to using his Senate seat to enrich his family, Bob Casey has made a career of shady self-dealing and selling his voters out to the highest bidder.”

There is much speculation that former hedge fund CEO Dave McCormick, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for the Republican Senate nomination in 2022, is gearing up for another run. Also rumored to be considering a campaign is state Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-Franklin), who lost the Keystone State’s contest for governor to Josh Shapiro in 2022.

“Bob Casey votes for Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer’s failing, far-left agenda 100% of the time,” said McCormick in a statement. “Thanks to Casey’s support for open borders, 5,000 Pennsylvanians lost their lives to fentanyl in 2020 alone. Pennsylvania is the second biggest gas-producing state in the country, yet Casey’s support for leftist energy policies has cost our state thousands of jobs. And even though Philadelphia has one of the highest murder rates in the country, Casey has done nothing to fight crime and instead has supported dangerous policies. A vote for Casey is a vote for Biden and Schumer — he’s a Washington insider and not a leader we can count on to deliver a better future for our great commonwealth.”

updated to include statement from McCormick