The countdown is on as Pennsylvanians and the nation prepare to cast their ballots in what appears to be the most consequential election in history. As you recall, conservative and liberal policy ideas used to be two different paths to achieve one goal—ideas that allowed for discussion and compromise and lead to positive impacts for the public good. However, in our ever-divided political climate, we have found ourselves viewing two completely opposite policy stances that take the nation in two completely different directions.
Getting out to vote is as important as ever, as all the races from the top of the ticket down are going to be close. In a state like Pennsylvania, your vote may be the deciding factor. Most notably, there’s a stark contrast of policy differences between two candidates on the ballot who are in a must-win race for control of the Senate. Despite endless commercials and mail pieces flooding your mailboxes, pollsters suggest there are still roughly 8% of Pennsylvanians who have not made up their minds in the race between conservative Dave McCormick and progressive incumbent Bob Casey.
Dave McCormick comes from a business background, having served as the CEO of Bridgewater Associates, was a member of former President Trump’s Defense Advisory board and served in the George W. Bush administration as Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs. In the latter role he served the country as the head international economic diplomat. Mr. McCormick also attended West Point, served our country, and holds the honorable title of Bronze star recipient.
Incumbent Bob Casey has continued on the path of his father Bob Casey Sr., in an attempt to create a Kennedy-like dynasty in the commonwealth. He is listed as an attorney by trade and served as Auditor General and State Treasurer in Pennsylvania, with a failed run for governor in 2002.
On the issues, Casey serves on the Senate Committee on Finance. Casey’s publicly-stated plan to reduce record-high inflation is to create legislation that would go after companies for charging what he believes is “too much” for goods and services. He carries a voting record of supporting $5.5 trillion in new spending since 2021 and has yet to address the real reasons behind permanently high prices for goods and services.
Dave McCormick, who has spent years in the financial industry, has confidently stated his position to reign in federal spending in an effort to reduce inflation. Mr. McCormick has also expressed his opposition to tax increases and his support for expanding former President Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions, which allow Pennsylvanians to keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets.
A hot topic that is on the minds of many throughout the nation is the Southern border. Here we find a distinct difference between the two candidates: Senator Casey has supported the Biden/Harris administration’s immigration policies over the last four years. On the contrary, Dave McCormick has expressed the need for new leadership in Washington when it comes to immigration policy and border security. We must ensure that U.S. Border Patrol agents have the resources they need to protect our citizens from the threat of deadly fentanyl while also providing opportunities for the most deserving individuals to live out their American Dream.
Perhaps the biggest difference between the two candidates is their stance on Pennsylvania’s greatest resource: our energy industry.
Senator Casey has stated that he wants to increase renewable energy to address what he terms the “climate crisis”. His plan calls for more federal dollars to be invested in green energy and has stated a position in which he supports more regulation on natural gas extraction. In addition, he has promoted $4.5 million in solar grants that will benefit 20 farms and has been a vocal supporter of President Biden’s multi-trillion dollar infrastructure plan to accelerate green energy. Senator Casey has also championed cap-and-tax policies to curb the use of traditional fuels.
Mr. McCormick has argued that the energy sector is not just a matter of economics, but of national security. His position is to extract more natural gas and continue the production of traditional fossil fuels; furthermore, he has taken a market-driven approach to what sources should be used for consumption by the public. In short, the two gentlemen have different ideas, one government-driven and one consumer-driven.
As you go to cast your ballots on November 5th, particularly if you are one of those roughly 8% of undecided voters, take a look at the policy stances behind each candidate. We can get this commonwealth and country back on track—with the right leadership, the American people will achieve prosperity in the 119th Congress.
This is Emily Greene, Senior Advisor with Americans for Prosperity Action