HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) 鈥 Pennsylvania鈥檚 U.S. Senate race between three-term Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger David McCormick will help determine control of the chamber Tuesday in a battleground state contest that is one of the nation鈥檚 most expensive this year.
Casey, perhaps Pennsylvania鈥檚 best-known politician and the son of a former two-term governor, is seeking a fourth term after facing what he has called his toughest reelection challenge yet. Casey, 64, is a stalwart of the state鈥檚 Democratic Party, having won six statewide elections going back to 1996, including serving as the state鈥檚 auditor general and treasurer.
McCormick, 59, is making his second run for the Senate after to Dr. Mehmet Oz in 2022鈥檚 Republican primary. He left his job as CEO of the world鈥檚 largest hedge fund to run after serving at the highest levels of former President George W. Bush鈥檚 administration and sitting on Trump鈥檚 Defense Advisory Board.
The race ran on national themes, from to inflation. But it also turned on local ones, too, such as Casey鈥檚 accusation that McCormick is a rich carpetbagger from Connecticut鈥檚 ritzy 鈥 鈥 鈥 a caricature McCormick helped bring to life by mispronouncing the name of one of Pennsylvania鈥檚 local beers 鈥 trying to buy Pennsylvania鈥檚 Senate seat.
Casey also attacked McCormick鈥檚 , accusing him of getting rich at America鈥檚 expense by investing in Chinese companies that make fentanyl and built Beijing鈥檚 military.
McCormick, in turn, stressed his in Pennsylvania, talked up his high school days wrestling in towns across northern Pennsylvania 鈥 a sport that took him to the U.S. military academy at West Point 鈥 and his time running online auction house FreeMarkets Inc., which had its name on a skyscraper in Pittsburgh during the tech boom.
Casey, a staunch ally of labor unions and President Joe Biden, has campaigned on preserving the middle class, , labor rights and voting rights, calling McCormick and former President Donald Trump a threat to all those.
McCormick, in turn, accused Casey of rubber-stamping Biden administration policies on the , the economy, energy and national security that he blames for inflation, domestic turmoil and war. He has attacked Casey as a weak, out-of-touch career politician and a sure bet to fall in line with Vice President Kamala Harris if she becomes president.
Democrats currently hold a Senate majority by the narrowest of margins.
Both Casey and McCormick for their party鈥檚 nominations in the primary election.
Also on the Nov. 5 Senate ballot are John Thomas of the Libertarian Party, Leila Hazou of the Green Party and Marty Selker of the Constitution Party.
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