Pennsylvania Republicans put braces on major brawl to deport Casey | WTAJ

Senator Bob Casey’s (D-Pa.) reelection announcement set the stage for what is expected to be one of the most high-profile Senate elections heading into 2024.

Republicans see Casey as an underdog and want to improve their candidate quality this time alongside former Senator Dave McCormick.

However, once-failed conservative gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano is eyeing another potential run, and is sounding alarm bells for Republicans.

With Casey on board, attention has shifted across the aisle where Republicans hope to avoid cuts in 2022 as Mastriano prepares to bid for the seat. One of his Pennsylvania-based Republican operatives told The Hill that Mastriano ignited his Facebook Live events, which he held frequently during his 2022 election campaign. “We keep all the ducks in a row,” Mastriano said.

“He’s doing everything he can to consolidate his base and make sure they stay with him if he escapes,” the operative said.

Mastriano lost to the current governor over Harrisburg’s governor’s mansion. He trailed Josh Shapiro (Democrat) by nearly 15 percent.

Despite state senators winning seats likely to be primary voters, Republican operatives say 2024 will see both the governor’s side and the Senate’s side, especially if the election is head-to-head. I’m bullish that it won’t be a reduction in last year’s major issues. between him and McCormick.

The deep-pocketed former hedge fund CEO spent more than $14 million in last year’s Senate primaries in about five months. Mastriano, by contrast, was outmatched by Shapiro his 30 to 1 and received little outside financial support.

Adding to Mastriano’s problems, McCormick’s hypothetical matchup would make financial strain more of an issue, as he would no longer be able to amass an unlimited amount of money like a gubernatorial candidate could. Senate elections are subject to Federal Election Commission restrictions.

“Doug has been unable to raise funds to talk to voters outside of Facebook Live. How is he going to do that when there really are limits?” The Republican operative added that Mastriano is likely to start with 25-28% support in the primary. “But if that’s what he does with two people, how can he get to 50%? He has to be able to talk to people and advertise.”

Mastriano’s possible entry has also increased pressure for McCormick’s allies to push him into the race. The 2022 Senate candidate said in a recent radio interview that he hasn’t decided on his candidacy yet.

“It’s cheering up McCormick’s people,” said the first operative, adding that they “went from asking him to run away to begging him to run away.”

The party machine is already poised to support McCormick should he run. The Senate Leadership Fund, run by allies of Sen. have expressed.

Democrats, meanwhile, are salivating over the idea of ​​a Mastriano-McCormick primary.

“It’s going to be a pretty nasty primary, and anyone who comes out of it is going to suffer,” said one Democratic operative in Pennsylvania. It seems like you really have to go right to win, but that generally hurts you.”

Mastriano’s recent Facebook Lives also seem to suggest the former gubernatorial candidate is gearing up to fight McCormick. In his recent appearance, Mastriano argued that moderate candidates lack support from conservatives in the primary and “there’s no guarantee they’ll get us.”

A similar argument has been made by Democrats who point to McCormick’s vulnerability to Oz in last year’s Republican Senate primary. McCormick fell short of Oz with just under 1,000 votes.

“What I can say about McCormick is that Dr. Oz was a particularly bad candidate, but McCormick lost to him. That says something about McCormick,” said a Pennsylvania Democratic operative. .

The Democratic Senate Electoral Committee (DSCC) reiterated this in a statement to The Hill.

“Republicans in Pennsylvania lashed out at McCormick for months over his record of outsourcing jobs and his close ties to China, Wall Street and Mitch McConnell,” said spokesperson David Bergstein said. “The dynamics of the Republican Senate primary are getting messier by the day, as Mastriano is making noise about his campaign participation.”

The Democratic operative in Pennsylvania added that Casey’s allies are “confident” that his record will stand up to challengers, no matter who comes out of the Republican primary.

Casey, of course, is the last Republican. She is a three-term senator who won the seat by dethroning a member of the Senate Republican leadership in 2006, and the party has fought hard in its last two reelection challenges. .

Casey isn’t one of the most vocal figures on the Senate Democratic Caucus, but multiple Republican operatives say it won’t be easy to take him down, and the party probably needs a royal family to do so. Arguing that you need a straight.

“He’s a Pennsylvania politician with the greatest name ID that has ever existed. You can’t buy a better name ID,” said the first Pennsylvania-based Republican operative. Told. “I think Casey will win because he has the right candidate, the right amount of money, the right political climate, and a new sense of wanting new leadership. I think that should happen.”

“He’s got everything for him,” the operative added of the Scranton-based Democrat.

President Biden, who is expected to take the lead next year, is also likely to be a key player in the race.

“President Biden has made no secret of his feelings for Pennsylvania,” said a Pennsylvania Democratic operative.

“When Biden comes along and talks about the accomplishments he and Senator Casey have achieved, they are the same kinds of things that Senator Casey talks about every day in Pennsylvania.”