Bob Casey, Jr.
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| Robert Patrick Casey, Jr. | |
| Image:Bob Casey, Jr., official 110th Congress photo.jpg | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2007 Serving with Arlen Specter | |
| Preceded by | Rick Santorum |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | Incumbent (2013) |
| Born | April 13 1960 Scranton, Pennsylvania |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Terese Casey |
| Alma mater | College of the Holy Cross The Catholic University of America |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Robert Patrick Casey, Jr. (born April 131960) better known as Bob Casey, Jr. or simply Bob Casey is the junior United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election to the Senate in 2006, he served as Pennsylvania’s Treasurer and Auditor General.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Casey, one of eight children, was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, of Irish American descent on his father's side. He is the son of Ellen Harding Casey and Bob Casey, the 44th governor of Pennsylvania.[citation needed]
Casey played basketball and graduated from Scranton Preparatory School in 1978. Following in his father's footsteps, he graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1982, and received a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the Columbus School of Law at 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.
[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 statewide campaign in nine years.
After he announced that he would run, Casey was almost immediately endorsed by Governor Edward G. Rendell, his primary election opponent from 2002. He was endorsed by two Democrats who had been mentioned as possible U.S. Senate nominees: former Congressman Joe Hoeffel who ran against Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter in 2004, and former State Treasurer Barbara Hafer, whom many in the pro-choice movement attempted to convince to run against Casey in the Democratic primary.
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.
On election night, Casey won the race with 59% of the vote, compared to 41% for incumbent Senator Rick Santorum. Casey's margin of victory was the highest ever for a Democrat running for the United States Senate in Pennsylvania [1].
Casey is the first Pennsylvania Democrat elected to a full term in the Senate since Joseph S. Clark was reelected in 1962.
[edit] Senator
On November 15, 2006, Casey was named 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. [2]
[edit] Political views
[edit] Immigration
Casey supported the Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 (S. 1348), a bill voted down in the 110th United States Congress, which could have provided a path to legal citizenship for illegal aliens currently residing in the United States". He has also supported the Clinton amendment, the Menedez amendment, and the Alaska amendments. [3]
[edit] Abortion
Casey, like his father, is strongly anti-abortion. He has publicly stated his support for overturning Roe v. Wade,[4]. Casey's election gives Pennsylvania the distinction of being represented in the Senate by a anti-abortion Democrat and a pro-abortion Republican (Arlen Specter); each holds the position opposite to what is common for their respective national parties.
He supports the Pregnant Women Support Act, legislation that grew out of Democrats for Life of America's 95-10 Initiative. The Initiative and the Pregnant Women Support Act seek to reduce the abortion rate by providing support to women in unplanned pregnancies. He supported the confirmation of both 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. Casey also opposes the funding of embryonic stem-cell research. [7]
However, Casey supports greater availability of the morning after pill, which some anti-abortion advocates consider an abortifacient.[8]
[edit] LGBT issues
When asked to state a position on legalizing same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania, Casey responded "Oppose."[citation needed]
In in a candidates’ questionnaire sponsored by PACatholic.org, Casey 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. [9]
Casey has, on several occasions, supported same sex partners adopting children, [10] [11] and specifically expressed his opposition to legislation that would prohibit adoption by same-sex couples. [12]
[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." [13] 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, authored in the early 90s by Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, to companies with at least 25 employees.[14]
Casey is an opponent of privatizing Social Security [15], 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. Casey had also criticized Senator Santorum for voting against increasing the minimum wage [16].
According to the candidates' questionnaire, Casey opposes school vouchers. [17]
[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. [18] In a debate, Casey criticized his Republican opponent Rick Santorum for not recognizing the danger of global warming. [19] He also supports increased funding for Brownfield cleanup, as well as a reinstatement of the polluter-pays principle for the Superfund program. [20]
[edit] Electoral History
| Pennsylvania U.S. Senate Election 2006 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Democratic | Bob Casey, Jr. | 2,345,082 | 58.7% | +15.2 | |
| Republican | Rick Santorum (Incumbent) | 1,652,486 | 41.3% | -17.4 | |
- 2004 Race for Pennsylvania Treasurer
- Bob Casey, Jr. (D), 61%
- Jean Craige Pepper (R), 37%
- 2002 Race for Pennsylvania Governor (Democratic primary)
- Ed Rendell (D), 57%
- Bob Casey, Jr. (D), 44%
- 2000 Race for Pennsylvania Auditor General
- Bob Casey, Jr. (D) (inc.), 57%
- Katie True (R), 40%
- Anne Goeke (Green), 2%
- 1996 Race for Pennsylvania Auditor General
- Bob Casey, Jr. (D), 56%
- Bob Nyce (R), 40%
- Sharon Shepps (Libertarian), 3%
[edit] Footnotes
- Peter J Boyer. "The Right to Choose," The New Yorker November 14, 2005 online version
[edit] External links
- U.S. Senator Robert P. Casey official Senate site
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
- Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
- Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
- Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
- About.com — Bob Casey, Jr. profile
- Bob Casey for U.S. Senate official campaign site
- Articles
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Barbara Hafer | Auditor General of Pennsylvania 1997 – 2005 | Succeeded by Jack Wagner |
| Treasurer of Pennsylvania 2005 – 2007 | Succeeded by Robin L. Wiessmann | |
| United States Senate | ||
| Preceded by Rick Santorum | Senator from Pennsylvania (Class 1) 2007 – present Served alongside: Arlen Specter | Incumbent |
United States Senators from Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
| Class 1: W. Maclay • Gallatin • Ross • S. Maclay • Leib • Roberts • Findlay • Barnard • Dallas • McKean • Sturgeon • Brodhead • S. Cameron • Wilmot • Buckalew • J. Scott • Wallace • Mitchell • Quay • Knox • Oliver • Knox • Crow • Reed • Guffey • Martin • H. Scott • Heinz • Wofford • Santorum • Casey Class 3: Morris • Bingham • Muhlenberg • Logan • Gregg • Lacock • Lowrie • Marks • Wilkins • Buchanan • S. Cameron • Cooper • Bigler • Cowan • S. Cameron • J. Cameron • Penrose • Pepper • Vare • Grundy • Davis • Myers • Duff • Clark • Schweiker • Specter | Image:Senate cap.PNG |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Casey, Bob, Jr. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Casey, Robert Patrick, Jr. |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | United States Senator from the state of Pennsylvania |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 131960 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Scranton, Pennsylvania |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
fr:Bob Casey Jr pl:Bob Casey, Jr. fi:Bob Casey, Jr. sv:Bob Casey (senator)
Categories: All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since December 2007 | Articles with unsourced statements since January 2008 | 1960 births | Living people | College of the Holy Cross alumni | Democratic Party (United States) politicians | Irish-American politicians | American Roman Catholics | Pennsylvania politicians | People from Scranton, Pennsylvania | The Catholic University of America alumni | State treasurers of Pennsylvania | United States Senators from Pennsylvania
