PHILADELPHIA — Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity, a rising star in the state’s GOP, is keeping her options open ahead of the 2024 Senate election. She isn’t ruling out a run against Democratic Sen. Bob Casey next year.
But she knows one thing for certain: Casey would be a formidable opponent. After all, she pointed out, he’s won six statewide elections.
“He’s going to be tough no matter who runs against him,” she said.
Casey, a three-term senator who has built such a moderate, mild-mannered reputation he has been compared to oatmeal, is in the crosshairs of national Republican leaders. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has identified Casey as one of his top targets in 2024, going so far as to rank his seat alongside those held by Senate Democrats in solidly red states such as West Virginia and Montana.
Republicans are desperately trying to lure former business executive David McCormick, who they see as the best possible challenger, into the race. The party establishment caught a break this week when MAGA firebrand state Sen. Doug Mastriano announced that he wouldn’t run for the Senate “at this time,” potentially clearing the path to the nomination for McCormick.
But behind the scenes, GOP elected officials, strategists and donors are still not bullish about their chances against Casey.
