The Ole Head in the Sand
Incumbents often lay low, relying on name ID; it doesn't appear to be working in the case of Sen. Bob Casey.
The Ole Head in the Sand
John Baer, Daily News Political Columnist
It's not unusual for incumbent pols to lay low during election years, relying on largely apathic or discouraged voters and their own name ID to help them stay in office.
Well, that strategy doesn't seem to be working in the case of incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Casey Jr.
Recent polls show the man with Pennsylvania's most bankable political name could be in trouble. And while some of those polls are viewed a tad suspect, new data released Tuesday by respected Quinnipiac polling has Casey holding only a slim (48-45) three-point lead over Western Pennsylvania coal king Tom Smith.
"Tom Smith's relentless TV ad barrage has lifted him out of the coal mine to give Sen. Robert Casey a run for his money," says assistant Q-poll director Tim Malloy. "Casey had a 55-37 percent lead in Quinnipiac University's August 1 survey. Now this race is too close to call."
Smith, a multi-millionaire, has spent tons of his own cash on TV ads labeling Casey "Sen. Zero" and the "invisible Senator," and it sure seems to be working.
It's not that Smith offers much in the way of specific ideas but his hammering at Casey and Washington in general has struck a rich vein of voter anger and mistrust.
Smith says he's running because he's "fed up with what Bob Casey and the political class have done to America." Apparently, he's not alone.
The Casey camp labels Smith "Tea Party Tom" (he founded a regional tea party group some years back), but there are parts of Pennsylvania where that's a plus.
The candidates finally agreed to one debate: Oct. 26 in Philly, to be moderated by WPVI's Jim Gardner and broadcast Sunday the 28th.
Smith isn't the smoothest campaigner, and Casey sure isn't the most electric. But Smith's run is suprising many, and likely to get Casey's head finally out of the sand.
It's amazing to me how much milage Pennsylvanians give to sons of favorites. Not that I want another tea party senator but Casey's been walking from public office to public office based solely on his father's popularity.— meteo30- Its great we have to opportunity to get rid of Casey. He has proved to us in the last six years that he is nothing but another big spending bureaucrat. I found a good website senatorcaseyrecord.com. Visit it and see he awful spending record for yourself.— pepemazur
- Casey has had 6 years to do something and has zero accomplishments. What do we have to lose by trying someone new?— jimmymack
- Well, we could wind up with Roe v Wade overturned, more foreign entanglements, a larger military complex, and even larger deficits.— meteo30
- And what have we gotten with casey as our senator: obamacare, $700 billion reduction in Social Security benefits, Solyndra, $800 billion stimulus, Frank/Dodd legislation, dead ambassador in Libya ( which is not being covered in this paper), auto industry bailed-out while the coal industry is being shut down... I'm sure we can find more. Baer is just another member of lsm pushing the democrats agenda. — junethe4th
- "Well, we could wind up with Roe v Wade overturned..." Do you even know who you support in this election? lol — bil,l atkins
- Slow Bobby isn't much of a retail campaigner. When you are functionally illiterate and living wholly off your family name, that's going to be a problem.— bil,l atkins
- Tea Party members in Congress have shown themselves to be reckless and dangerous...even for other republicans. To increase their numbers by adding another neanderthal like Smith to their numbers would also be reckless. Casey may not be a good choice but he's the lesser of 2 evils.— CommonSense in Philly
- Tea Party members in Congress have shown themselves to be reckless and dangerous...even for other republicans. To increase their numbers by adding another neanderthal like Smith to their numbers would also be reckless. Casey may not be a good choice but he's the lesser of 2 evils.— CommonSense in Philly
John is the author of the book "On The Front Lines of Pennsylvania Politics: Twenty-Five Years of Keystone Reporting" (The History Press, 2012). Reach John at baerj@phillynews.com.
