EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — The race for the US Senate seat in Pennsylvania is now being called a "toss-up." That's according to the non-partisan Cook Political Report.
The race between incumbent Democrat Bob Casey and Republican challenger Dave McCormick was originally leaning toward a win for the Democrats.
It's a very close and hard-fought race. Tens of millions of dollars are being spent on this race.
Why is it so important? The Democratic majority in the US Senate is only two seats, 51 to 49.
28/22 News I-Team Reporter Andy Mehalshick recently interviewed both candidates.
Senator Casey says he's the man who will best represent Pennsylvanians, especially the middle class.
"What do you want to tell voters? Why should they vote for Bob Casey and not your opponent? Why should they put you back in the Senate?" Mehalshick asked.
"Well, because I've been on the side, Andy, in my work as a public official, especially in the Senate, on the side of working families," Casey replied.
28/22 News caught up with Senator Casey at a campaign event recently in Kingston. He says he stands on his record of helping the middle class.
"On the side of fighting for people with disabilities, fighting for people with disabilities, fighting for our seniors our children. My record is substantial when it comes to supporting efforts to give the middle class a tax break, which I think we have another opportunity in 2025 to do that instead of giving away the store to big corporations and billionaires like some want to do, like my opponent," Casey stated.
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Casey says fighting inflation is always a top priority.
"Andy, I think we have to continue our efforts some have been successful some have not when it comes to lowering costs. Number one we got to give families the benefit of a much more substantial child tax credit. Here in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties, the families of children benefit from that. We have to continue that," Casey continued.
Casey believes that voters will see through all of the political fog, and send him back to the Senate for a fourth term.
"People know there's a lot at stake, basic rights are at stake. We talked earlier today about women's rights, workers' rights, voting rights. People know what's at stake with the economy. We're either going to have a tax bill next year that will reward the billionaires, big corporations. That is one option, that's what my opponent wants to do. Or, take the second option, which is to have a substantial middle class tax cut to help our families," Casey explained.
Mehalshick asked Casey if he would be a rubber stamp yes vote for Vice President Kamala Harris, should she win the White House.
"Andy, I have a record indicating that I, working with Presidents of both parties. I confront and disagree with presidents of both parties," Casey said.
Republican Dave McCormick puts much of the blame on Casey for issues that Pennsylvanians are facing, such as high prices, inflation, and high energy costs. He says that will change if he is sent to Washington.
"It's a change election. I'm the change candidate. Bob Casey is the status quo," McCormick said.
McCormick is confident that voters will send him to the US Senate.
"So this is really a race between a seventh-generation Pennsylvanian and I am someone who grew up in Bloomsburg, not far away from where you are right now. Went to West Point, a combat veteran, a tour in Iraq, and a successful businessman. So I'm a political outsider and my opponent is a 30-year career politician in elected office for 30 years, in the Senate for 18 years," McCormick continued.
McCormick says among his top priorities is taking on inflation.
"We've got to tame this inflation. It's killing working families. 60 percent of Pennsylvanians live paycheck to paycheck. So part of that is unlocking our energy capabilities right here in Pennsylvania that will lower fuel prices and help reduce inflation along with cutting back on the reckless Biden-Harris spending," McCormick explained.
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McCormick says he's also focused on the southern border.
"We've got to secure the border. This fentanyl is killing Pennsylvanians. It killed 116,000 in America last year and 4,000 Pennsylvanians," said McCormick.
McCormick insists he will not be a rubber stamp yes vote for former President Donald Trump should voters send him back to the White House.
"I'm going to always fight for Pennsylvanians. I'm very respectful of President Trump. I'm grateful for his support, but I'm my own guy, and I'm going to fight for Pennsylvania, and I've proven that through my whole life. Senator Casey. I'm not a rubber stamp. He's proven 98 percent of the time voting with Biden-Harris," McCormick stated.
Recent polling has the Casey-McCormick race neck and neck.
You can see the entire interviews with Casey and McCormick in the video players below.
