Pennsylvania Democrat Bob Casey lands his best fundraising quarter in his Senate reelection campaign

Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey, a Democrat, achieved a significant milestone in his Senate reelection campaign by raising over $4 million in the past quarter, marking his most successful fundraising period to date. As he awaits a Republican contender in the closely contested state of Pennsylvania, Casey’s campaign expressed optimism about their financial resources, with nearly $6 million currently in their bank account. This substantial funding will be crucial for Casey to effectively navigate the campaign in one of the nation’s most politically competitive states.

In other news, Democratic Representative Pearson from Tennessee, who was expelled by Republicans, announced raising $860,000 for his campaign. Additionally, a labor group has requested an ethics investigation into campaign solicitation by a Kentucky GOP gubernatorial candidate, and the attorney general of Kentucky is facing accusations of seeking donations from a company his office is investigating. Furthermore, a Democratic senator received defense industry contributions after assuming a key role in spending.

The successful fundraising quarter for Casey’s campaign in the second quarter has instilled confidence among Democrats that they continue to enjoy support in Pennsylvania, following John Fetterman’s 5-percentage-point victory in last year’s race for the state’s open Senate seat. At 63 years old, Casey is preparing to seek his fourth term in office and is regarded as a vital ally of labor unions and President Joe Biden. His candidacy offers Democrats a strong contender in their efforts to defend a seat in the 2024 campaign, which is anticipated to be challenging as they strive to maintain their slim 51-49 Senate majority.

Fetterman, the former lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, reported raising $4 million in his first quarter as a Senate candidate in 2021. He surpassed that amount with an impressive $22.4 million in the third quarter of 2022, ultimately defeating Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz, who had received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump. Last year’s Senate race in Pennsylvania became the most expensive in the state’s history, totaling $420 million, according to OpenSecrets, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that monitors campaign finance and lobbying data.

Casey enters the 2024 race with substantial name recognition, aided by his father’s tenure as a two-term governor of Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, Republicans face a shortage of potential candidates to choose from. One prospective Republican contender is former hedge fund CEO David McCormick, who narrowly lost a fiercely contested and costly GOP nomination for the Senate in 2022 to Dr. Mehmet Oz. McCormick has expressed serious consideration about running, possessing significant financial resources and connections across government, finance, and Republican politics, thanks to his background on Wall Street and his service in President George W. Bush’s administration. Nevertheless, many Republicans acknowledge the formidable challenge of defeating Casey.

Casey has already participated in seven statewide races in Pennsylvania, emerging victorious in six of them, and has never faced a closely contested Senate race. He secured a 13-percentage-point victory in his 2018 campaign and actively campaigned last year by supporting Fetterman.

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More about fundraising quarter

• Sen. Bob Casey’s campaign website
• OpenSecrets: Pennsylvania Senate race campaign finance data
• Twitter: Marc Levy (Marc Levy’s Twitter handle)