DV Journal

Despite cold weather and biting wind, thousands of supporters waited for hours in a field behind a Lehigh County firehouse for former President Trump Saturday.

“The pilot said, ‘It’s too windy to land, sir,’” said Trump. “I said, ‘Land anyway.’ It’s windy, but it’s beautiful. It’s Pennsylvania.”

The crowd that had been chanting “U.S.A., U.S.A.” cheered in response.

Just hours before Trump took the stage, news broke of a massive missile and drone attack launched by Iran against Israel. Trump urged the audience to pray for the Jewish state.

“God bless the people of Israel. They’re under attack right now. That’s because we showed great weakness,” Trump said. “This would not have happened if we were in office. You know that. We know that. Everybody knows that.”

Trump told his supporters that, after voters returned him to the White House, “We will return the world to peace through strength. It will happen very quickly.”

A few minutes later, he said the war in Ukraine would not have occurred if he had been still president.

Edward X. Young, a Republican committeeman in Brick, N.J., has attended 74 Trump rallies.

Toward the end of his speech, Trump endorsed Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick, who is running against incumbent Sen. Bob Casey (D).

“He’s a good man,” said Trump. “He wants to run a good ship. He’s a smart guy. He’s a very successful guy. He’s given up a lot to do this…Go out and vote for him because Casey doesn’t do a damn thing.”

Trump mentioned that inflation is nearly 4 percent and that “crooked Joe” had said it was “transitory.” He listed the various causes Biden had blamed inflation on.

“All of America knows this nightmare belongs to one person: crooked Joe Biden,” said Trump.

“That’s why the people of Pennsylvania are going to tell crooked Joe you’re fired. Get out,” he said to cheers. The crowd chanted, “Joe’s gotta go!”

Trump spoke about Biden’s border policy and his “green energy scam. Would everybody like to buy an electric car?” he asked.

Trump mentioned the fossil fuel bonanza in Pennsylvania.

“Under Biden, gasoline prices are up over 50 percent, and electricity prices are up 39 percent.”

Biden “launched a crusade to smash oil and gas,” said Trump.

“When I am back in the White House, we will end Biden’s inflation train wreck and tell Pennsylvania, ‘Drill, baby, drill,’” Trump said, noting that windmills kill birds, leaving “bird cemeteries” underneath.

Trump also mentioned his hush money trial set to start April 15 in Manhattan.

Audrey Strein

“They want to take away my constitutional right to talk,” said Trump. “They have a crooked judge…as the radical Left Democratic Party seeks to do anything possible to keep me from running and winning this election. Let me tell you, we’re winning by so much they don’t know what’s happening.”

His opponents had “Russia, Russia” and “every hoax imaginable,” he said.

“This is what you call a communist show trial. And we’re going communist. If we don’t win this election, this country is finished.”

“This election is a choice between the Biden fascist state or the republic.”

He said he would debate Biden “anywhere, anytime.”

The millions of undocumented immigrants who have come across the border since Biden became president are a threat to national security, with Trump adding that a person on the terrorist watch list was recently caught.

“As soon as we take office, we’ll seal the border,” he said. “We had the safest, most secure border in the history of our country.”  He mentioned Danelo Cavalcante, a convicted murderer who escaped the Chester County Prison and was on the lam for four weeks. Cavalcante, an illegal immigrant, was wanted for murder in Brazil.

Earlier on Saturday, Trump attended a fundraiser at the Newtown Athletic Club. Several hundred people, many with Trump banners, signs and apparel, hoped to catch a glimpse of the former president.

Newtown residents Joe Faboroso and Jim Slemmer spoke to DVJournal.

“He believes in freedom and America first,” Faboroso said of Trump. “Unlike ‘America Last’ Biden.”

Slemmer added, “Those politicians don’t care about the American people. They only care about money.”

Audrey Strein of Jamison supports Trump because of “promises made. Promises kept.” She said that when Trump was president, unemployment was down for women, Hispanics, and Blacks. Trump launched programs to help the inner city. She’s employed in the roofing industry, and she appreciates that Trump cut regulations that are “getting worse every day.”

Amy Buchko

“God bless Trump,” said John Myers, who’s been a volunteer firefighter in Bucks County for 50 years. A Newtown resident, his son served in the Air Force in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I think he’s a man of freedom,” said Yardley resident Amy Buchko. “I’m in fear for my grandchildren’s lives under the Biden regime.” Biden is “slowly taking our freedoms away.”

Democratic protestor Amy Perry of Morrisville carried a sign that said, “April 15 Forecast. Stormy.”

Trump’s presence in the state triggered Democrats, including Gov. Josh Shapiro, who bashed him on abortion. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Delaware), Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia), and candidate Ashley Ehasz, who is running against Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks), held a press conference on “reproductive rights.”

Trump said he would not sign a bill that bans abortion nationwide and that the rules about the procedure should be up to the states. He also supports exceptions to save women’s lives and for incest and rape.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

If you’re running for office in Pennsylvania, you need to stop in South Philadelphia for a cheesesteak and to schmooze with the locals.

Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick checked that box last week when he visited Geno’s Steaks accompanied by some Republican heavyweights.

In addition to talking with supporters, McCormick put on an apron and fried some steak.

“This campaign is all about connecting with Pennsylvanians in every corner of our great commonwealth. Our stop at Geno’s, a Philadelphia institution that makes a great cheesesteak, was a fun opportunity to meet with voters and even hop behind the counter to test our skills on the grill. I’m grateful for the support of two great public servants, former Sens. Pat Toomey and Rick Santorum, who understand what it takes to deliver results for Pennsylvania,” said McCormick.

McCormick had his cheesesteak “wiz wit.”

Dave McCormick (right) with former Sen. Pat Toomey (center) and a supporter.

Earlier Wednesday, McCormick held a rally in Shavertown, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre area with Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Santorum. Then, they hopped on McCormick’s campaign bus and headed to Philadelphia, where Toomey joined them.

Daines chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

House Republicans have also been jumping on the McCormick bandwagon, including Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who, like McCormick, is a former wrestler. Jordan told Punchbowl News, “McCormick’s a great candidate and a wrestling guy. We want to do some things with the wrestling community in Pennsylvania because it’s so strong. It’s the biggest wrestling state in the country.”

Jordan plans to hold a fundraiser for McCormick later this month.

McCormick said previously he is “honored to receive the endorsement of fellow former wrestler Jim Jordan. Jim is a fearless leader in Congress, and I’m grateful for his support.” He also referenced “the toughness, resilience, and leadership [they all] learned on the mat… I’m proud to share a common bond and passion for our sport.”

McCormick wrestled in high school in Bloomsburg and in college at West Point. He’s even airing a commercial about it.

Both Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.), McCormick’s general election opponent, and McCormick have full campaign coffers. McCormick’s campaign posted $6.2 million in the first quarter of 2024, including $1 million of his own money. Prior to entering politics, McCormick was a successful businessman.

“Pennsylvanians from across the commonwealth are joining the movement to elect Dave McCormick, a seventh-generation Pennsylvanian, combat veteran, and Pennsylvania job creator who will bring new leadership and fresh ideas to the Senate. Career politician Bob Casey has voted for Joe Biden’s failing agenda 98 percent of the time, fueling a border crisis that has killed over 4,000 Pennsylvanians from fentanyl, violent crime, record inflation, and regulations that are killing the commonwealth’s energy sector,” said McCormick communications director Elizabeth Gregory. “Dave is exactly the kind of candidate who can beat Bob Casey, secure a Senate majority, and get this country back on track.”

Casey, who has also released campaign ads, raised $5.6 million in the first quarter. The Democrat is running for his fourth term.

“Our record-breaking fundraising reflects the momentum and motivation behind Senator Casey’s re-election campaign,” said Tiernan Donohue, campaign manager for Bob Casey for Senate. “Sen. Casey’s supporters across the commonwealth know he is facing the most competitive and expensive race of his career, and they are standing together to make sure we have the resources we need to keep this seat.”

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

Three weeks before their party’s primaries even pick the nominees, the leading candidates for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania are already running TV ads targeting their November opponents.

Republican Dave McCormick’s campaign is airing an ad called “Wrestling.”

The ad highlights the Republican’s time on the Bloomsburg Area High School wrestling team. He was co-captain when the Columbia County team came in fourth place in the state and was a PIAA District 4 champion. He went on to wrestle at West Point, where he was co-captain of the Army Wrestling Team, and twice qualified for the NCAA Division I Tournament.

“Pennsylvania wrestling taught me to do the hard thing. Hard work. Hard choices. The Pennsylvania way. That’s not what we get from Washington. The career politicians don’t do the hard work. They’re selfish and soft,” McCormick says into the camera.

McCormick’s all-but-certain opponent, three-term incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Casey Jr., has an ad called “Stench.” It talks about veterans who were exposed to burn pits, mainly in Afghanistan and Iraq,  and may have developed health problems from them. Casey helped pass the bipartisan Burn Pits Bill to make the Veterans Administration pay for their care.

He followed that up with “Fleeced,” which blames big corporations for “greedflation.” In the ad, Casey says he plans to give the Federal Trade Commission “the power to punish corporate price-gouging.” He also wants to “roll back their huge corporate tax breaks, putting money in your pocket instead.”

Casey is a native of Scranton (like fellow Democrat Joe Biden) and the son of a former Pennsylvania Gov. Bob Casey Sr.

Casey ran for treasurer in 2004, then used the statewide office as a platform to defeat incumbent Republican Rick Santorum in 2006. He’s the first Pennsylvania Democrat to win three terms in the U.S. Senate.

Casey chairs the U.S. Senate’s Special Committee on Aging, as well as serving on the Finance, Intelligence and HELP (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions) committees.

McCormick served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. He was deployed to the Middle East during the First Gulf War and received the Bronze Star for his service in Iraq before retiring as a captain. After leaving the Army, McCormick, 58, earned a Ph.D. in international affairs at Princeton. He then joined and led a successful tech business in Pittsburgh before taking positions in the George W. Bush administration.

He served as the U.S. Treasury Under Secretary for International Affairs, on the National Security Council, and in the Department of Commerce. McCormick was CEO and president of two publicly traded software companies and a consultant at McKinsey & Co.

He was the CEO of Bridgewater Associates, one of the world’s largest hedge funds, before jumping into politics in 2022. At that time, he told DVJournal that he was inspired to run for office after President Joe Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, where 13 service members and numerous Afghan people lost their lives.

He ran for Senate and lost the primary by fewer than 1,000 votes to Dr. Mehmet Oz, who went on to lose to now-Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.)

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

Republican Dave McCormick, a successful businessman running against Sen. Bob Casey Jr., called out the three-term senator for his votes on illegal immigration.

“Last night, while most were asleep, Bob Casey voted to allow Pennsylvania’s taxpayer dollars to fund illegal aliens’ flights into our country. This disaster is leading to the fentanyl deaths of 4,000 Pennsylvanians a year. A failure of leadership of disastrous proportions,” McCormick posted to social media after Casey voted for the $1.2 trillion omnibus spending bill.

Pennsylvania has been the destination for “ghost flights,” bringing hundreds of illegal immigrants here, often in the dead of night. And President Joe Biden’s policy of flying “paroled” illegals from Venezuela and Haiti into the U.S. is also under fire.

Casey also voted against the Laken Riley Act amendment to that spending bill. Riley, a young Georgia college student, was brutally killed while out on a run across campus, allegedly by an illegal immigrant. The bill would require that any illegal immigrant who committed burglary, larceny, shoplifting, or theft be detained.

McCormick also criticized his Democratic opponent for that vote.

“Laken Riley would still be alive if Jose Ibarra — an illegal immigrant — was deported after breaking our laws in the first place. Bob Casey just voted against making it easier to deport criminals like Ibarra. PA needs a senator who will fight evil, not enable it,” McCormick posted to X.

In September, Danelo Cavalcante, an illegal immigrant who escaped from the Chester County prison, kept police, state police and the U.S. Border Patrol busy as he evaded capture for 14 days. Cavalcante had been convicted of murder for the stabbing death of his girlfriend in August and was awaiting sentencing when he crab-walked between two walls to a roof and fled the jail. The manhunt led to fear and inconvenience for Delaware Valley residents, especially after he stole a rifle.

Casey also voted to give undocumented immigrants federal benefits, opposed border security measures, and voted to keep counting illegal immigrants in the U.S. Census.

He voted three times to keep giving federal money to sanctuary cities and opposed an executive order from former President Donald Trump to rein in sanctuary cities. Sanctuary cities, including Philadelphia, don’t cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Casey also voted against Kate’s Law, which would have set mandatory minimums for deported felons who reenter the U.S. illegally.

Some illegal immigrants who’ve been flooding across the southern border are believed to be drug mules, bringing deadly fentanyl and other drugs into the U.S. The number of overdose deaths in Pennsylvania grew by 19.5 percent from 2019 (4,479) to 2021 (5,356). And 78.4 percent of all overdose deaths in Pennsylvania involved fentanyl in 2022.

The Casey campaign did not respond to requests for comment. However, a Casey spokesperson told another news outlet he opposes sanctuary  cities.  

But a new Cygnal poll commissioned by the Republican State Leadership Committee showed Pennsylvania voters are most concerned about inflation (32 percent) and immigration/border security (28 percent). The poll was taken March 10 through 12.

National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman Philip Letsou said, “Just one month after Laken Riley was murdered, Bob Casey voted to allow illegal immigrants to be released into the country, fund flights for illegals throughout the country, and continue funding sanctuary cities. Casey refuses to stand up to his party, and the Democrats’ radical agenda is making our country less safe.”

“Putting every Pennsylvanian at risk, Bob Casey is in lockstep with Joe Biden’s deadly, pro-criminal agenda. Casey has recklessly prioritized sanctuary cities and illegal immigrants over the safety of Keystone State families, who will reject his failures and vote Republican this November,” added Rachel Lee, Republican National Committee spokesperson.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey appeared at a campaign event Tuesday with Indivisible Philadelphia, an organization that wants police funding “allocated to better-qualified resources that will actually help people and take police knees off the necks of Black and Brown communities.”

On Wednesday, the 1,300-member Delaware County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 27 returned the favor by endorsing Casey’s Republican opponent, Dave McCormick.

“Last night, our current senator, Bob Casey, attended an event with an anti-police organization, Indivisible Philadelphia. Subsequent to that event last night Indivisible Pennsylvania announced they’ve endorsed Sen. Bob Casey,” said FOP President Chris Eiserman.

“This is a group that said. ‘We won’t stop until they defund the police,’” said  Eiserman. It wants “fewer officers on the street. They have advocated to end cash bail.  This is a group responsible for bailing out some of the most violent offenders Pennsylvania has to offer.

“At a time when there were four shootings in four days on our local public transit system, law enforcement across the commonwealth is understaffed,” he said. “Casey’s decision to align himself with these defund the police activists is alarming and extremely dangerous. Pennsylvanians deserve better.”

Eiserman serves as deputy chief for Folcroft Borough. He was joined Wednesday by Folcroft Officer Chris Dorman, who was shot seven times on June 24, 2016.

“It was a 911 call about a suspicious person smoking and selling marijuana,” said Dorman, 33. “We located them in the area.” The suspect fired at Dorman, hitting him in the face, chest, hand, back, and both legs, Dorman told DVJournal. Yet he continues to serve.

Polls show Casey and McCormick locked in a single-digit race. Those same polls show former President Donald Trump with a narrow but consistent lead over President Joe Biden in the presidential race. A strong showing by Trump is likely to boost McCormick’s campaign, and Trump has made law and order a central issue in his reelection bid.

In Delaware County, Eiserman called out Casey for not backing the call to strip power from prosecutors who are not enforcing the law.

“We all know that [Philadelphia District Attorney] Larry Krasner’s progressive approach of letting criminals back on the street isn’t working. And yet Bob Casey supports Soros-funded prosecutors in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, who have let crime get completely out of control,” said Eiserman. “Casey voted against $300 million to anti-narcotics and opioid (funds) for customs and border protection. He voted against Kate’s Law twice, which would have set a mandatory minimum for deported felons who illegally reenter the U.S.”

Kate’s Law was named for Kate Steinle who was killed in 2015 by an illegal immigrant later acquitted of murder by a San Francisco jury after claiming the gun fired accidentally. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) reintroduced Kate’s Law last year.

“Casey says there’s systemic racism in our police,” said Eiserman. “He thinks we are the problem, not the violent criminals making Pennsylvanians less safe.”

Casey co-sponsored a bill that would end qualified immunity for police officers, a policy that protects cops from being sued for actions “taken in the line of duty,” said Eiserman. “His bill would also defund local police departments from federal grants if they don’t implement the Biden administration’s preferred policing policies.”

“Thankfully, Pennsylvania has a law-and-order Senate candidate who will work with the police and not against us: Dave McCormick,” said Eiserman. “Dave’s a combat veteran who takes threats to Pennsylvanians’ safety seriously.”

“Dave knows it’s time to respect law enforcement and keep violent criminals off our streets,” said Eiserman. McCormick would also work to secure the southern border and keep “dangerous drugs like fentanyl and crime from destroying Pennsylvania families.”

Forty-seven sheriffs have endorsed McCormick, said Eiserman.

Afterward, Eiserman told DVJournal, “We need a senator that’s going to support law enforcement. There were over 370 officers shot in the line of duty last year.” And “right now, we’re at 70 this year.”

“The FOP is trying to pass the Protect and Serve Act (HB2743), which makes it a federal crime to attack a police officer,” said Eiserman. The group tried to meet with Casey about it, but he was unavailable to see him. They met instead with a staffer who would not tell them the senator’s position on the bill. He noted, however, that Casey supported bills to protect journalists and poll workers.

“Look at the numbers,” he said. “In the last two months, we had two officers in East Lansdowne shot, and one in Chester City shot.”

Casey’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

With former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden clinching their respective party’s presidential nominations, what will the repeat race mean to the Delaware Valley?

How will it affect other races, including the marquee U.S. Senate race between Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey and Republican Dave McCormick? And down-ballot contests?

Bucks County is seeing gains in Republican voter registration, while the other counties—Delaware, Chester, and Montgomery—are trending Democratic.

In February 2022, Democrats had an advantage of 9,289 voter registrations in Bucks County. Today, that lead has been narrowed to 2,145, said Scott Presler, a voter registration activist.

“In a quintessential swing county, like Bucks, this is huge news,” said Presler. “My organization, Early Vote Action, has volunteers from across the country writing letters into Bucks to continue this voter registration trend to the right. We’re also focused on Centre and Luzerne counties.”

Bucks County GOP Chair Pat Poprik said, “After four years of President Biden and the Democrats’ failed policies, voters have had enough of high gas prices, the rising cost of living, and a border crisis that’s worsening by the day.

“We have seen it on the ground, and the positive trend in voter registration towards the Republican Party in Bucks County demonstrates the grassroots energy building for a much-needed change in our country’s direction. Republican voters are energized. Independents and even some Democrats are also seeing that the state of the country was better under President Trump. In every sense, on the issues that matter most to working families, the Biden administration has simply been a failure.”

Temple University political science Professor Robin Kolodny believes the Senate race will be a significant factor in the presidential race in Pennsylvania.

“In 2024, we will have both a closely contested presidential race and a U.S. Senate race,” Kolodny said. “The Senate race is key to determining which party controls the chamber. Demographic trends suggest Democrats will have a slight advantage statewide and probably a bit more in the Delaware Valley. President Biden praised Sen. Casey’s bill in his State of the Union Address. I think the Biden-Casey campaigns will probably work together a bit more easily than the McCormick-Trump campaigns, but it’s too early to know for sure.”

A new Emerson College/The Hill poll shows Trump is leading among Pennsylvania voters by 47 percent, with Biden at 43 percent. However, 10 percent are undecided. When voters were asked which candidate they leaned toward, Trump’s support increased to 52 percent and Biden’s to 48 percent.

The same poll shows Casey at 45 percent, McCormick at 41 percent, and 14 percent undecided.

Former Chester Chamber president and Commonwealth Foundation Senior Fellow Guy Ciarrocchi noted, “The State of the Union address changed nothing. The battle for Pennsylvania will be very close: We saw it in 2016 and 2020–less than 2 percent. Any slight movement could tip the balance—and the presidency. The priorities of suburban voters will help pick the winner—and we likely won’t know until this fall, with their last mood swing.”

In 2016, when Trump beat Hillary Clinton narrowly winning Pennsylvania, Bucks County voted for Clinton 48.52 percent and Trump 47.74 percent. In Chester County, Clinton received 52.71 percent, and Trump got 43.20 percent. In Delaware County, Clinton scored 59.6 percent, and Trump eked out 37.18 percent. Clinton earned 58.91 percent in Montgomery County, while Trump had 37.44 percent of the vote.

In 2020, when Biden bested Trump, Bucks County voted for Biden at 51.66 percent and Trump at 40.88 percent. Chester County had Biden at 57.99 percent and Trump at 40.88 percent. In Delaware County, 62.95 percent voted for Biden, while  36.15 percent voted for Trump. Biden garnered 62.6 percent in Montgomery County, compared to Trump’s 47.29 percent.

Colleen Guiney, Delaware County Democratic Committee chair, praised Biden’s State of the Union speech and said she believes area voters will stick with the president.

“We have a choice between ‘Honesty, decency, dignity, (and) equality.’ or ‘resentment, revenge, and retribution.’ I am confident that Delaware County will choose the former,” Guiney said.

Frank Agovino, the Delaware County Republican chairman, said, “In my mind, the 2024 rematch of Biden vs. Trump will be more beneficial for Republicans in Delco. The combination of a nostalgic feeling of the strong Trump economy and a world not at war versus the Biden administration that has made us weaker through an agenda of mixed-up priorities at home and abroad will result in a record turnout.

“Additionally, elevated crime and the rising cost of everyday necessities such as food and gas have hit everyone hard, but most especially the largely African American communities such as Upper Darby and Darby Townships. It feels like there is real buyers’ remorse, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Trump pull 25 percent in these areas, which would be a stark improvement from 2016.”

And Chester County Democrat Committee Chair Charlotte Valyo said,  “The strong State of the Union speech by President Biden leaves no doubt that he is fit and capable to lead for four more years. The contrast between his administration and the one he followed could not be more clear. The voters in the collar counties will continue to support President Biden as they did in 2020. President Biden has demonstrated that he can achieve bipartisan legislation.”

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJourna

Delaware County Republicans and members of the Philadelphia Log Cabin Republicans warmly welcomed Senate candidate Dave McCormick at a reception in Swarthmore on Wednesday.

McCormick, 58, touted his early support for gay marriage. In 2013, McCormick signed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court backed by Ric Grennell. Grenell, who is gay, served as ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence under former President Donald Trump. He was the first openly gay cabinet member in U.S. history.

“People told me if you want to have a future in the Republican Party, you won’t sign that,” McCormick recalled. “And the reason I signed it is because I had served in the military with a number of great patriots who were gay and closeted. I had a family member. And I’m a libertarian in many ways. I want people to have the freedom to live the life they want and equality of opportunity.”

Afterward, Alex Jablokov, a Swarthmore GOP committeeman, said, “I like Dave. He’s moderate socially. I think that will help him in Pennsylvania.”

Val Biancaniello, a Republican state committeewoman from Marple, agreed.

(From left) Delaware County GOP Chair Frank Agovino, Justin Zebley, president of the Philadelphia Log Cabin Republicans, Dave McCormick, and Swarthmore GOP Chair Rob Jordan.

“I like that Dave is working hard. He has great messaging. He’s not a career politician. He has business experience. He’s someone who has business savvy and can bring manufacturing back to the state.  He supports LGBTQ Republicans. We have a big tent and a place for everyone in Pennsylvania,” she said. The Log Cabin Republicans is an LGBT conservative group.

A new Emerson poll shows McCormick is closing the gap with Casey. It found 45 percent of voters support Casey, and 41 percent support McCormick. However, 14 percent remain undecided.

“I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t think I was going to win but also had a pathway to win,” said McCormick. “This is a change election. A change election is when guys like me, who aren’t part of the system, who aren’t part of public life, beat guys like Bob Casey, who’s been there for 30 years, in a Senate race.”

McCormick and his wife, Dina Powell, have six daughters.

“I’m going to be all right. The question is, are they going to be OK? We’re on a path where they won’t be OK. Our kids won’t be OK unless we change the direction of the country.”

“This is a moment (where) we’re at a crossroads. We’re either going to do what’s necessary to get things back on track, or we’re going to say, ‘Oh my God, how did that happen?’”

“We want to make sure America remains the America we love, the America we all benefited from,” said McCormick. “We got to do something about it. And that’s why I’m running.”

He lost the last campaign against Dr. Mehmet Oz in 2022 by 900 votes out of 1.5 million cast. Oz then lost to now Sen. John Fetterman.

“The decline is evident around us,” McCormick said. “Economically, $34 trillion of debt, a $1 trillion interest payments. The interest payment on our debt is bigger than our defense budget. You see it with Bidenomics…60 percent of Pennsylvanians are living paycheck to paycheck. Prices have gone up by 17 percent. Real wages have gone up by 14 percent. So if you’re buying food or fuel or rent it got more expensive. If you’re making a payment on a pickup truck, it’s 50 percent more expensive. If you’re trying to buy a house, it’s twice as much. New home sales have gone down.”

He mentioned the open border, fentanyl pouring into the country and causing 5,000 deaths last year in Pennsylvania.

“Ten million illegal immigrants have come over the border under Biden, a huge national security threat,” McCormick said. And “160 of those—these are the ones who are apprehended—are on the terrorist watch list. It took 13 people to take down the (Twin) Towers.”

He said, “Bob Casey and Joe Biden are having an election-year epiphany that the border is now a problem.”

McCormick also discussed rising crime, increasing antisemitism, the Middle East, policies he holds his Democratic opponent responsible for.

“You see it in the war on energy,” he said. Pennsylvania has “the fourth largest natural gas reserves in the world. If we could unlock that energy supply, it would be an economic boom, not just for Pennsylvania but the entire economy.”

“But the overarching goal of the Biden administration, with Bob Casey supporting it every step of the way, is to stop using fossil fuels, drive up the prices so people buy less, and switch to alternative energy sources, which come from China.

“You can’t believe the barbarism that took place (when Hamas attacked Israel),” he said. “This is evil against Israel and the West. It’s underwritten by Iran. And the original sin was the deal Iran did with Obama. And Bob Casey was the deciding vote.”

Delaware County GOP Chairman Frank Agovino asked about abortion, noting Democrats are using it as an issue.

“We have Republicans and Democrats that supported our current legislation (allowing abortion up to 23 weeks),” McCormick said. “The governor who signed it was Gov. Casey. I’m in line with Casey’s dad, not Casey the son. (Sen. Casey) was a pro-life Democrat (but) he completely went to the other side. And he’s got the position now there should be abortions up until the day of birth.”

“I don’t support abortion bans. I do support the three exceptions. And there’s lots of common ground, like on contraception, adoption support, and restrictions on late-term abortions.”

People want leadership, McCormick said, calling Case “absolutely anything but a leader.”

“I’ll be an independent voice who will fight for what’s best in Pennsylvania,” McCormick promised.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick got good news when the group Americans for Prosperity Action announced it is spending “seven figures” to air ads in Pennsylvania and Nevada for U.S. Senate candidates. The spots began on Monday.

In Pennsylvania, the ads tout McCormick, 58, who is challenging Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) as “A leader we can trust.” Another ad hits Casey, saying, “Bob Casey failed Pennsylvania” and “He deserves a pink slip, not another term.”

“Pennsylvanians need a new leader in the Senate. Dave McCormick understands where inflation comes from runaway government spending. He’s ready to be part of the solution by putting an end to Washington waste,” said Ashley Klingensmith, AFP Action senior advisor for Pennsylvania.

The $1 million ad buy to benefit McCormick includes spots on connected TV (streaming) and the internet, including on sites like YouTube, said Christine Ravold, AFP Action spokeswoman.

Casey, 63, is already fundraising off the ads. In a fundraising email, he asks donors to send him money because billionaire Charles Koch funds AFP Action.

Asked about that, Ravold acknowledged her organization was funded by Charles and his late brother, David Koch.

“However, we receive donations from many individuals across the country who are committed to reigniting the American Dream,” she said.

McCormick is an Army veteran who attended West Point after graduating high school in Bloomsburg and served in the 82nd Airborne Division. He owns the family Christmas tree farm there and lives in Pittsburgh, where he spent his younger childhood. McCormick, who holds a Ph.D. from Princeton, was Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs under President George W. Bush.

He is also a successful businessman. Before leaving for a political career, he was CEO of Bridgewater, a hedge fund.

Casey is the son of the late Bob Casey Sr., who was governor of Pennsylvania. A Scranton native, Casey was the state’s auditor general and treasurer. After graduating from Holy Cross College, he earned a Catholic University of America law degree.

In 2022, McCormick ran in the Republican U.S. Senate primary but narrowly lost to Dr. Mehmet Oz. Democrat John Fetterman easily defeated Oz in the general election.

“Sen. Casey is hoping that his terrible record of representing Pennsylvania voters will go unnoticed, but the fact is Pennsylvanians are reminded every day at the grocery store and the gas pump,” said Klingensmith. “The Keystone State is full of economic potential, but the American Dream is out of reach for so many because Casey continues to vote against the interests of Pennsylvanians. Dave McCormick’s experience positions him to better advance economic opportunity for Pennsylvanians from Pitt to Philly and everywhere in between.”

In Nevada, AFP Action is supporting Republican Sam Brown for the Senate. Brown is challenging incumbent Jacky Rosen.

Republicans hope to retake control of the Senate this year. Democrats must defend 23 seats, including in states that are Republican or lean Republican, like Montana, Ohio, and West Virginia, where Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin announced he won’t be seeking another term.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

What a difference an election year makes.

Pennsylvania Democrat Sen. Bob Casey Jr. has been an outspoken advocate of climate policies designed to reduce the use of fossil fuels and cut carbon emissions. In 2022, he praised President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, saying the $369 billion in green spending “may have been the last chance” for federal action on climate change. Casey voted against a 2021 amendment to reverse Biden’s shutdown of the Keystone XL pipeline, and he’s even floated bringing back the New Deal-era Civilian Conservation Corps to promote “climate change mitigation.”

But with a competitive general election looming in November and a well-funded GOP challenger, Casey signed a letter last week announcing his opposition to the Biden administration’s decision to pause liquid natural gas (LNG) exports.

“Pennsylvania is an energy state,” Casey and fellow Pennsylvania Democrat Sen. John Fetterman wrote. “As the second largest natural gas-producing state, this industry has created good-paying energy jobs in towns and communities across the commonwealth and has played a critical role in promoting U.S. energy independence.”

Fetterman and Casey worry the LNG pause might impact “thousands of jobs in Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry.” They vowed to push the administration to reverse the decision if it “puts Pennsylvania energy jobs at risk.”

It’s surprisingly strong language for Casey, who voted for Biden’s agenda 99.3 percent of the time last year, according to FiveThirtyEight.com.

Environmental groups were not pleased with the two Democrats’ statement.

“They are being hypocritical, and also they are sticking their head in the ground by ignoring/denying the climate impacts that are being caused by LNG exports and the fracking that fuels it,” said Tracy Carluccio of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network (DRN) “They are also acting unproductively oppositional to President Biden who also said this pause will examine the community and economic impacts of these DOE authorizations for LNG export and that is inexcusable.”

Only one other Senate Democrat, green activist bête noire Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), openly criticized the Biden policy. Manchin chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and vowed to do everything possible to “end this pause immediately” if it’s proven the Biden administration was pandering to “keep-it-in-the-ground climate activists.”

Manchin isn’t seeking reelection, and there’s been talk that he may run for president as a centrist third-party candidate.

It’s a much different scenario for Casey, who is up for reelection this fall. His likely Republican opponent, Dave McCormick, wasted no time decrying Biden’s LNG pause.

“America and PA lead the world in Liquified Natural Gas, creating jobs for our people & allies for our country,” McCormick posted on social media hours after Biden’s announced the LNG pause last month. “Why is Bob Casey standing with [Biden] on this?”

Almost a week later, Casey announced his opposition.

Fetterman’s commitment to green energy shifted further. After twice signing the No Fossil Fuel Pledge, the alleged progressive said in 2022 that he supports fracking “as long as it’s done environmentally sound.” His Senate campaign claimed he never “supported a fracking ban” and wanted to “preserve the union way of life” for natural gas workers. However, Fetterman said in 2018, “I don’t support fracking.”

Environmental groups, including Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, Sierra Club of Pennsylvania, and PennFuture, declined to comment about the pro-fossil-fuel stance of their political allies. Instead,  Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter Director Tom Schuster said he was confident the federal review would prove LNG projects don’t “serve the public interest and will cancel them.” PennFuture said the pause was “a win for Philadelphia and Chester.”

Energy groups praised Casey and Fetterman for their willingness to break with Biden.

“The Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association agrees with the criticism by Sens. Casey and Fetterman of the effect on Pennsylvania jobs of President Bidens’s LNG export pause,” Kevin Moody, PIOGA General Counsel, told DVJournal. “But just as significant, and perhaps even more so, are the adverse effects on our national security and our ability to provide Europe and Asia with the LNG they need and will get from somewhere else.”

Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association President and CEO David Taylor called it electoral politics.

“I think the Biden administration just took a position so extreme that people had to protect their backsides and jump up and say, ‘No, I’m not, I’m not in favor of that,’” he told DVJournal.

Taylor still wondered if Casey’s recent public stance was sincere, given his record.

“[He] worked closely with Joe Biden …certainly in the Democrat primary in 2019 and 2020 [he] was all in for Joe Biden,” Taylor said. “If he’s looking to differentiate himself from [Biden], that may be an exceedingly difficult challenge.”

Carluccio suspects the move could hurt Casey at the ballot box this fall, particularly among environmentally conscious voters in the Delaware Valley.

“Those folks vote,” she said. “More and more people, as they become convinced that fracking is not what it’s made out to be…are going to speak through their vote.”

The U.S. Senate Energy Committee will hold a hearing Thursday on Biden’s LNG export pause.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

President Joe Biden supports the mammoth $118 billion border and foreign aid deal released by the U.S. Senate Sunday night. And despite complaints from some progressives that it’s “a new version of a failed Trump-era immigration policy,” Delaware Valley Democrats say they’re on board, too.

“Now we’ve reached an agreement on a bipartisan national security deal that includes the toughest and fairest set of border reforms in decades. I strongly support it,” Biden said in a statement.

The bill, which approves $60 billion in aid for Ukraine and another $14 billion for Israel, is poised for its first vote in the Senate on Wednesday. On immigration, it would raise the standard for claiming asylum, end “catch and release,” and add money for 50,000 detention beds for migrants awaiting review.

It was negotiated by Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.)

But in Pennsylvania, attitudes toward the legislation fall along partisan lines.

“The bipartisan bill released last night takes critical steps towards securing our border and stopping fentanyl while providing key assistance to Ukraine and Israel,” said Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) via social media. “It’s time to put politics aside and get this done.”

His likely Republican opponent, Dave McCormick, posted his opposition. “This is not a compromise; it’s a capitulation. This bill does not secure the border — it allows 4,000 migrants to cross illegally every. single. day.”

McCormick was referencing a provision in the legislation that mandates the Department of Homeland Security turn away all would-be migrants at the border if encounters reach a weekly average of 5,000 per day. The bill also grants the president the authority to invoke that measure at 4,000 encounters per day.

Like many of his fellow Republicans, McCormick argues there’s no reason to allow that level of undocumented migration — about 1.4 million per year — before shutting down the border.

“To protect Americans and fight the scourge of fentanyl, we need to CLOSE the border to illegal immigration. I oppose this deal,” McCormick wrote.

Progressive Sen. John Fetterman posted on social media that he had former Republican Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson as a professor.

“Back in 1998, Sen. Simpson said that we’ll never have any meaningful immigration legislation because it will forever be a useful political weapon. Here we are more than a quarter century later. I hope my Senate Republican colleagues don’t prove him right. Let’s PASS THIS BILL.”

The three Democrats in the Delaware Valley federal delegation also support the package.

“Our border and immigration system is dysfunctional and has been under both parties,” Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Montgomery/Berks) posted on social media. “It’s time to start talking solutions. So far, House Republicans are unwilling. I pray they change their minds soon — for the sake of our communities and for the sake of those seeking refuge.”

Republican David Winkler, who is running against Dean, said he is “deeply disappointed” in the “lack of seriousness” from Democrats on the border, and he cites the lack of a border wall mandate in the bill.

“We should propose a bill that focuses on strengthening border security by implementing physical security measures, utilizing advanced technology, and increasing staffing.”

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Chester/Berks) supports the bill. She visited the border last Thursday and Friday. Houlahan also penned a letter asking her colleagues to send more aid to Ukraine.

“I’m calling on Speaker [Mike] Johnson to change his deeply cynical position that “now is not the time” for immigration reform—I couldn’t disagree more. Most people in communities across America couldn’t disagree more. No solution will be perfect, but we cannot let that keep us from making progress for both the American people and those who seek refuge here,” Houlahan said in an op-ed in Newsweek on Monday.

Her request is falling on deaf ears. Speaker Johnson and other key House leaders signed a letter Monday declaring the bill dead on arrival in the House.

“It fails in every policy area needed to secure our border and would actually incentivize more illegal immigration,” they wrote. “The so-called ‘shutdown’ authority in the bill is anything but, riddled with loopholes that grant far too much discretionary authority to Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas – who has proven he will exploit every measure possible, in defiance of the law, to keep the border open.”

Neil Young, the Republican running against Houlahan, said he agrees with Johnson.

“Senate Republicans who voted in favor of this bill should be made to account for their vote and primaried if necessary. The American people do not want a quota system on how many people should be allowed into this country illegally.

“We deserve leaders who will vote to protect our borders from all threats, be they drug, crime, or illegal immigrant-related,” said Young. “In addition, for them to also tie this nonsense to yet another $60 billion foreign aid handout to Ukraine is doubly insulting. Last year’s HB2, which Speaker Johnson passed, was the blueprint for how to handle this, and the Senate still failed to deliver meaningful border security. The American people are smart enough to know that this current administration is responsible for our crisis at the border, and no amount of media spin can change that.”

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks/Montgomery) did not respond to requests for comment, nor did Ashley Ehasz, the Democrat making her second attempt to unseat him.