Casey, McCormick hammer home attacks in debate for Pennsylvania's battleground Senate race
Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Republican challenger David McCormick have held the first debate in their race for a swing-state seat
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Republican challenger David McCormick met Thursday for their first debate in the pivotal race for a swing-state seat, with each candidate repeatedly accusing the other of lying and turning questions about energy, the sale of U.S. Steel and tariffs into personal attacks.
The outcome of the race, one of the nation’s most expensive, could help determine which party controls the narrowly divided Senate.
During the combative nighttime debate, Casey tried to drive home the message that McCormick is a wealthy, carpetbagging ex-hedge fund CEO, while McCormick painted Casey as a weak, do-nothing career politician.
Casey hammered away at investments that McCormick's hedge fund made in Chinese companies, including ones the federal government came to consider part of Beijing’s military and surveillance industrial complex. McCormick hit Casey as willing to vote 99% of the time with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
