‘I Don’t Worry About That’: Bob Casey Shores Up Biden in Wake of Disastrous Debate Performance and Growing Doubts

Pennsylvania senator shows support for embattled president even as polls show Biden well behind Trump in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania senator Bob Casey (D.) campaigned with President Joe Biden in Philadelphia on Sunday, a stark contrast to a growing number of Democrats who have turned on the president amid concerns about his declining health.

Casey greeted Biden at Philadelphia’s airport alongside Sen. John Fetterman and several House Democrats. Casey later joined Biden for service at Mount Airy Church of God in Christ, a black church in Philadelphia.

It was Casey’s latest show of support for Biden amid fallout from a series of appearances that have stoked concerns about Biden’s ability to continue his presidential campaign. Biden appeared confused throughout his June 27 debate with former president Donald Trump and has stumbled in interviews and campaign events since then.

Casey, who like Biden hails from Scranton, said last week he is not concerned by the president’s debate performance. “I don’t worry about that. Look, he had a bad, he had a bad night and debate. But I think, I think people know what’s at stake,” Casey told reporters on July 1.

But Casey’s show of support could prove a political liability for the senator as he faces the toughest reelection fight of his career. Republican Senate nominee Dave McCormick’s campaign criticized Casey for being “FULLY behind the failed, feeble, and frail President that is Joe Biden.” Biden, who defeated Trump by 1 percentage point in the 2020 election, trails the Republican in most polls conducted after the debate. A Bloomberg poll released last week has Trump leading 51-44.

Other Senate Democrats facing tough elections have expressed reservations about Biden.

Sen. Jon Tester (D., Mont.) expressed reservations about Biden on Monday, saying the president needs to “prove” he is “up for the job.” Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D., Wis.) declined to appear with Biden at campaign events in Wisconsin on Friday, opting instead to make stops on her “Fired Up for Tammy” campaign tour.

Casey’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment, though there are still signs Casey is not fully on board Team Biden. He dodged reporters’ questions on Monday about Biden, saying only that “we’ve got our two nominees,” a reference to Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

“I’ve got a race to run,” he said. “I’ll let the political scientists analyze. I’m not gonna be an analyst.”