Democrat Bob Casey Jr. is currently the state treasurer of Pennsylvania. He was previously auditor general (an independently elected fiscal and public safety watchdog) and a fifth grade teacher in the city of Philadelphia.Growing up in Scranton, Pa., Bob Casey Jr.’s family dedicated themselves to public service. He has been guided by the legacy of his father, Robert Casey, who served as governor for eight years from 1987-1995.
His wife, Terese, and four daughters, Elyse, Caroline, Julia and Marena, provide support in his life and motivate him to provide for others through his political career.
Many people know him only as Gov. Casey’s son, or “that pro-life democrat;” they will see if Casey makes a strong enough impression to earn him a the seat in the U.S. Senate.
Casey hopes to bring much needed change to Washington. According to his campaign Web site, www.bobcasey.com, he thinks the current leadership in Washington follows the politics of divide and conquer. Casey said Americans should unite and prosper. He said, “We simply don’t have time to waste on partisan political battles while young men and women are dying halfway around the world, in real battles that matter.”
He states his short-term objectives with the war in Iraq: “What’s important now is to focus on where we are currently, and clearly there are problems with the way the administration is conducting the war: the lack of enough troops, the lack of sufficient armor, the failure to train enough Iraqi troops so we can bring our own troops, who have fought heroically, home”
In an interview with The Philadelphia Jewish Voice, Casey explained his pro-life view and why he hopes to win favor with both sides on the issue. “If there is one thing that brings people together on this issue, it’s the need to reduce the number of abortions – the number of unwanted pregnancies and crisis pregnancies. I think that’s something people on both sides of the issue agree on,” Casey said.
Some critics claim that Casey refuses to take positions on important issues that Americans face. His response is that “positions” only lead to partisanship, not towards resolution. Republican Rick Santorum has served as a U.S. Senator for Pennsylvania since he defeated incumbent Harris Wofford in 1994. His spot will be challenged by Democrat Bob Casey Jr. in an election this Tuesday, Nov. 7.
Santorum is from Butler County, Pa., and received his B.A. in Political Science from Penn State University. He earned his MBA in 1981 from the University of Pittsburgh and his J.D. from Dickinson School of Law in 1986.
With his wife, Karen, they raise a family of eight with six kids: Elizabeth, John, Daniel, Sarah Maria, Peter and Patrick.
Santorum stated many of his socially conservative views in his book “It takes a Family,” titled in response to Hillary Clinton’s book, “It takes a Village.” In his book James Dobson, Founder and Chairman of Focus on the Family states “Senator Santorum is one of the stalwart defenders of human life and the pro-family cause.
On the issues, Santorum has continually taken firm a stance on what he believes is best for Pennsylvanians. According to his Web site, www.ricksantorum.com, he made possible America’s first ever coal to ultra-clean liquid fuel plant, which is better for our environment and provides more affordable energy.
Along with other conservative Republicans, Santorum takes a strong position against abortion. He fought for the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, and the Born Alive Infants Protection Law to become laws.
Santorum wrote the “Social Security Guarantee Act,” which guarantees that seniors’ benefits can never be cut.
As far as the war in Iraq goes, Santorum said, “We are fighting the war that we are engaged in – Islamic fascism – in Iraq. We are fighting those people right now, the people who, if we left, would come here and destroy us.” He does not agree with creating a timeline to with drawl from Iraq, and suggests that forces may remain for quite some time.
Santorum gave his reason for why there have not been any terrorist attacks on American soil since 9/11 and he said it is because of the war in Iraq. He has professed to being a big “Lord of the Rings” fan and describes the situation as the Eye of Mordor being drawn somewhere else. “It’s being drawn to Iraq and it’s not being drawn to the U.S.,” Santorum continued. “You know what? I want to keep it on Iraq. I don’t want the Eye to come back here to the United States.