U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (R-Pa.) and his GOP opponent Dave McCormick met in Harrisburg on Thursday for a heated debate, trading foreign and domestic policy remarks, with each trying to portray the other as ” “weak” candidate who blindly follows him. leadership of his party.
Casey focused on McCormick’s career as a hedge fund manager and his residency status, and McCormick repeatedly claimed that Casey was ineffective as Pennsylvania’s senior senator.
The first question was about the Middle East and Iran firing missiles at Israel after Israel killed Hezbollah leaders in Lebanon. Moderator Dennis Owens asked candidates if they would be willing to send U.S. troops on land in the current conflict.
Casey noted that the anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel is approaching. “We must continue to support Israel’s efforts to counter and defeat Hamas, as well as to confront other threats in the region, including the threat posed by Hezbollah and the Iranians,” Casey said. As for sending troops there, Casey said “not unless we declare war and have a debate in the United States Senate and House of Representatives.”
Owens asked if there was a “red line” that Israel could cross that would cause Casey to lose support.
“No, Dennis, listen, throughout the year that I was in the United States Senate, I was a robust supporter of Israel. That’s why pro-Israel organizations across the country support me.”
McCormick said the United States must side with Israel. “I wouldn’t send soldiers to the site right now,” he said. “But what President Biden has done, and I haven’t heard Senator Casey speak on this, is he has started to draw red lines about what Israel should and should not do. We must persevere on Israel’s side. Senator Casey had a faint voice.
He added that “as long as Israel is fighting for its life,” there is no red line it can cross to lose its support. “We must have the strength and moral courage to stand up to Iran and anti-Semites at home.”
Casey disagreed with the moral courage comment, pointing to McCormick’s investment in the RumbleAND a social media video platform popular on the right, criticized for its hosting anti-SemitismAND strengthening conspiracy theories. “He invested millions of dollars with his own money in a hate website,” Casey said.
On immigration, McCormick said he “totally” agrees with former President Donald Trump’s proposal to pursue mass deportations if he wins another term as president, “we must deport, first and foremost, convicted criminals” crossing the U.S. southern border, McCormick said.
Owens pressed McCormick to explain how such deportations would be carried out, but McCormick did not provide details. “It will be a huge logistical challenge, but we have to do it to overcome the incentives of people crossing our border.”
Casey coined “greedflation,” a term he uses to describe price gouging by corporations that raises prices for consumers. the centerpiece of his campaigntalking about it at the Democratic National Convention and publishing several reports on its effects. He has introduced legislation create a federal ban on excessive price increases and allow for Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to enforce it. Owens pointed out that Casey’s reforms have been criticized as government price controls that could hurt businesses
“I will argue with your assumption. This is not a price audit, this is an investigation into companies engaged in price gouging,” Casey said. Casey said McCormick would not support price gouging legislation “because he wants to support their corporate tax breaks.”
McCormick said he would advocate for extending tax cuts enacted during Trump’s term as president, which are set to expire soon. Owens said the tax cuts are criticized because they mainly benefit corporations and the wealthy.
“These are tax cuts for the middle class,” McCormick said. “In this expansion, I would also like to add additional dollars for the Child Tax Credit. I would like to add money for the fertility tax credit, the in vitro fertilization tax credit that I have proposed. But yes, I would extend these tax cuts. And corporate tax cuts were necessary to ensure America remained competitive. Bob Casey doesn’t understand how the economy works. That’s why he’s trying to do all this economic voodoo with price controls.
Owens pointed out that the Congressional Budget Office projected that the tax cuts would add trillions of dollars to the national debt. McCormick blamed the Biden administration and Democrats for inflation and policies that he believes have increased the national debt. “The first thing you need to do is withdraw all these absurd subsidies for electric vehicles, buses and charging stations and the billions for solar energy,” he said.
Casey said what McCormick is proposing would destroy Social Security and Medicare.
Owens then asked the candidates about abortion. “Mr. McCormick, during our 2022 primary debate in the same studio, you said you believed in only confined exceptions for abortion when the mother’s life is in danger. However, now you say you support additional exceptions. Can you explain today what exactly What is your position on these exceptions?
McCormick called it an “extremely polarizing issue” and expressed belief that states should decide abortion laws. “I support three exceptions. I would not support any abortion ban, [or] legislation supporting a national abortion ban.”
Owens noted that Casey was first elected to the Senate as a “pro-life Democrat” but has since voted to protect abortion rights.
“Dennis, I think in 2022, when the Supreme Court struck down a 49-year-old law, when it overturned Roe v. Wade, everyone had to make a decision, including senators,” Casey said. “I decided to support the Women’s Health Protection Act. I do not support Republican efforts to ban abortion nationwide.” He noted that McCormick said at the time of Roe’s overturn that the decision made him “very, very happy.”
Casey added that he supports Roe, which “would allow for reasonable restrictions.”
McCormick said Casey has changed his position. “I’m not going to take any sermons from Senator Casey on my position on abortion… it’s something we need to deal with and let people in all states decide what’s best for them.”
Owens also raised the issue of McCormick’s whereabouts, which Casey repeatedly cited as evidence that McCormick was not telling the truth. He pointed at Associated Press article from August 2023 which, Casey said, “proved he lived in Connecticut.”
McCormick responded that he was a “seventh-generation Pennsylvanian” who grew up in Bloomsburg and was born in Washington County. “I have lived most of my life in Pennsylvania. I ran a business in Connecticut. When I said I lived in Pennsylvania, I actually did,” he said. “So just because he got an Associated Press reporter to confirm or amplify his lies doesn’t mean it’s true.”
The candidates agreed on several areas:
- In the US Steel case, both candidates agreed that the proposed takeover by Nippon Steel should not be allowed
- On fracking, both candidates have stated that they support fracking for natural gas and oppose a fracking ban.
- On tariffs, both agreed to employ them in a targeted, strategic way to facilitate protect American workers and businesses.
Casey and McCormick will face off in the next debate in Philadelphia on October 15.
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