Bob Casey, Jr.

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Bob Casey, Jr.
Image:Bob Casey.jpg
Junior Senator-elect, Pennsylvania
Term of office: term begins 2007
Political party:	Democratic
Succeeding:	Rick Santorum
Born:	April 13, 1960 Scranton, Pennsylvania
Spouse:	Terese Casey
Religion:	Roman Catholic

Robert Patrick Casey, Jr., (born April 13 1960), also known as Bob Casey, Jr., or simply Bob Casey, is an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party. He is State Treasurer of Pennsylvania and United States Senator-Elect, having defeated Republican incumbent Rick Santorum in the 2006 midterm elections.

1 Biography
2 2006 U.S. Senate race
3 Senator
4 Political views
5 External links

[edit] Biography

Casey, one of eight children was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania to an Irish Catholic family, is the son of Robert P. Casey, the 42nd governor of Pennsylvania.

In 1982, he graduated from the College of the Holy Cross, and received a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from The Catholic University of America in 1988. Between college and law school, Casey served as a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and spent a year teaching 5th grade and coaching basketball at the Gesu School in inner city Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He and his wife Terese were married in 1985, and they have four daughters: Elyse, Caroline, Julia, and Marena.

Casey practiced law in Scranton from 1991 until he ran for and was elected Pennsylvania State Auditor General in 1996. He served in this capacity for two terms, from 1997 to 2005. In 2002 he attempted to follow in his father's footsteps by running for Governor. Casey faced former Philadelphia mayor Ed Rendell in the Democratic primary election. Casey performed well in the rural areas of the state, and won a majority of Pennsylvania's counties. However, he lost to Rendell by 12 points, after Rendell was victorious in the state's major population centers. Rendell went on to win the general election.

In 2004, Casey ran for the position of State Treasurer. In the heaviest voter turnout in Pennsylvania history, and running against a little-known opponent, he won that race with more votes than any other candidate for statewide office in Pennsylvania history. [1]

[edit] 2006 U.S. Senate race

Main Article: Pennsylvania United States Senate election, 2006

In 2005, Casey received calls from U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, as well as U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), the Senate Minority Leader. Both men asked him to run for U.S. Senate in 2006. On March 5, 2005, Casey announced he would seek the Democratic nomination for the Senate race. Casey's run for the Senate was his fifth state wide campaign in nine years.

After he announced that he would run, Casey was almost immediately endorsed by Governor Ed Rendell, his primary election foe from 2002. He would later be endorsed by two Democrats who had been mentioned as possible U.S. Senate nominees: former Congressman Joe Hoeffel, who in 2004 had been the Democratic candidate for the state's other Senate seat, losing to Arlen Specter; and former State Treasurer Barbara Hafer, whom many in the pro-choice movement attempted to convince to run against Casey in the Democratic primary. Several months after Casey began his campaign, he was joined at a fundraiser by DNC Chair Howard Dean.

In the Democratic primary, Casey faced two Democrats with more liberal viewpoints: college professor Chuck Pennacchio and pension lawyer Alan Sandals. Both argued that Casey's views on abortion and other social issues were too conservative for most Pennsylvania Democrats. However, Casey easily defeated both challengers in the May 16th primary, receiving 85% of the vote.

After winning the Democratic nomination, Casey maintained a consistent lead over Republican incumbent Rick Santorum during the general election. On election night, Casey won the race with 59% of the vote, compared to 41% for Senator Santorum. Casey's margin of victory was the highest ever for a Democrat running for the United States Senate in Pennsylvania [2].

Casey is the first Pennsylvania Democrat elected to the Senate in his own right since Joseph S. Clark was reelected in 1962.

[edit] Senator

On November 15, 2006, Senate Majority Leader in waiting Harry Reid appointed Casey to several committees, including Foreign relations; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Agriculture; the United States Congress Joint Economic Committee and the Special Committee on Aging. [3]

[edit] Political views

[edit] Abortion

Casey, like his father, is pro-life. He has publicly stated his support for overturning Roe v. Wade,[4]. He also supported the confirmation of John Roberts [5] and Samuel Alito [6] for seats on the Supreme Court of the United States; these judges are believed to be in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade. However, Casey supports greater availability of the morning after pill, which some pro-life activists regard as an abortifacient.[7]

Casey also supports the funding of non-embryonic stem-cell research. [8]

Bill Donaghue of the Catholic League called Casey's pro-life stance a "fraud" citing his reluctance to use the law to reduce abortions.[9]

[edit] LGBT issues

Casey has expressed his opposition to legislation that would prohibit Adoption by same-sex couples. [10] In a candidates’ questionnaire sponsored by Pacatholic.org, Casey also stated that he feels that "... employers should be permitted to extend domestic partnership benefits to same-sex couples in committed, long-term relationships". However, Casey opposes making such benefits mandatory. [11]

On another questionnaire, when asked to state a position on legalizing same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania, Casey responded "Oppose." However on several occasions has supported same sex partners adopting children. [12] [13].

[edit] Birth control

Casey is also more supportive of birth control than his father was as governor. Indeed, in the Archdiocese survey, Casey expressed support for "requiring employers or health insurance plans to cover contraceptives in their prescription drug plans". He also stated his support for "a provision in the state’s budget to fund contraceptive services." [14] Casey's views on this extend to the federal funding of contraception, which he also supports. However, Casey also opposes laws that would "force pharmacists to fill a prescription contrary to their moral beliefs."

[edit] Economics and education

On economic and education-based issues, Casey falls more closely in line with mainstream Democratic policies.

Casey's website reports he has also criticized what he views as "draconian cuts to Medicare and Medicaid," and has stated that Medicare Part D is "fundamentally flawed" and in need of a "complete overhaul." Furthermore, it states Casey's support for the Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act, which would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to companies with at least 25 employees.[15]

Casey is an opponent of privatizing Social Security [16], and is a critic of many recent tax cuts, which he claims have "not caused the 'trickle-down' economic growth" that was promised from them. [17] Casey has also criticized Senator Santorum for voting against increasing the minimum wage [18].

According to the candidates' questionnaire, Casey opposes school vouchers. [19]

[edit] Environmental issues

Casey opposes drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Instead, he supports increased federal investment in hybrid and alternative fuel technology to help wean the United States off of foreign oil. [20] In a debate, Casey criticized his Republican opponent Rick Santorum for not recognizing the danger of global warming. [21] He also supports increased funding for Brownfield cleanup, as well as a reinstatement of the polluter-pays principle for the Superfund program. [22]

[edit] External links

Political offices
Preceded by: Barbara Hafer	Auditor General of Pennsylvania 1997 – 2005	Succeeded by: Jack Wagner
Preceded by: Barbara Hafer	Treasurer of Pennsylvania 2005 – present	Incumbent
Preceded by: Rick Santorum	United States Senator (Class 1) from Pennsylvania Term Starts January 2007	Succeeded by: Incumbent