Campaign

Casey posts $4 million haul for Senate campaign

Sen. Robert Casey (D-Pa.) is seen during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 to discuss the upcoming price hike for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. (Greg Nash)

Sen. Bob Casey’s (D-Pa.) campaign announced Wednesday that he raised $4 million during the second fundraising quarter, showing off his financial might as he looks to take home a fourth term next year. 

Casey’s team revealed that the figure represents the senator’s single biggest fundraising quarter in his career. The incumbent Democrat announced his campaign in early April, meaning the upcoming full FEC report will be his first fundraising report of his 2024 reelection bid. 

“During his time proudly serving Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate, Bob Casey has earned his reputation as a tireless champion for our kids, our seniors, and Pennsylvania workers,” Tiernan Donohue, Casey’s campaign manager, said in a statement announcing the haul. 

“He fights day in and day out to lower costs, to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, and to make sure we’re standing up to China. This impressive fundraising quarter shows Bob Casey is one of the most formidable incumbent Senators in the country, with the statewide support to prove it,” Donahue added.

Casey’s campaign did not reveal how much he has in cash on hand at this point. As of the end of March, he had $3.2 million in the bank.

The full report is due July 15.

The three-term senator announced his bid in early April after he underwent surgery for prostate cancer in February. He returned to work in late February and has not missed any time since. 

Casey is the favorite to retain his seat next year but may need more dollars than ever to help get him across the finish line, as Republicans push for David McCormick, a wealthy former hedge fund manager, to enter the race. 

However, McCormick, who spent $14 million on his primary loss to Mehmet Oz last cycle, has indicated that he has no plans to spend that type of money again out of his own pocket. 

If he enters the race, McCormick is expected to do so in late summer or early fall. 

McCormick did get a major win in late May, as state Sen. Doug Mastriano (R), who had threatened to run despite his massive loss in the gubernatorial race last year, announced that he would not be launching a bid for Casey’s seat.