PA-Sen: Casey out in front as Santorum begins bus tour

New poll in from Pennsylvania, and Democrat Bob Casey leads Republican incumbent Rick Santorum in the race for U.S. Senate:

Bob Casey: 45%
Rick Santorum: 39%

(Poll conducted between July 31st and August 3rd among 550 registered voters from Pennsylvania.)

This comes just as Rick Santorum, knowing his political future is in trouble, announced that he is launching a statewide bus tour.

On the issue of energy independence, the AP asked the two candidates to explain their views.  As you can see below, Santorum and Casey are from two different worlds:

AP: Please explain whether you think global warming is a problem andif so, if you think the problem is manmade? What, if anything, shouldbe done?

SANTORUM: While the EPA acknowledges that a warming trend of aboutone degree Fahrenheit has been recorded since the late 19th century,scientists have not decisively concluded the cause of this trend. Ibelieve we must be cautious in reacting to this issue because makingdrastic public policy changes could pose serious consequences to oureconomy and our quality of life. This is why I am opposed to radicalapproaches like the Kyoto Protocol, which would unfairly placeinternational regulations on our nation, killing our manufacturingsector that is so vital to areas like western Pennsylvania, whileallowing nations like China to pollute our environment withoutrecourse. Last year, I supported an amendment offered by Sen. ChuckHagel of Nebraska that called for promoting and adopting technologiesthat reduce greenhouse gas emissions by providing loan guarantees toprojects that employ advanced climate technologies. This is a reasonedapproach that doesn't squelch job creation but balances it withenvironmental concerns.

CASEY: Yes. We must take mandatory steps to slow, stop, and reduceglobal warming pollution. Waiting to do so will only make the problemworse and the solution more costly. Rick Santorum thinks that it doesnot exist.

Rick Santorum's long-winded answer is not going to cut it in today's political environment.  Gas prices are near record highs, and the Middle East war and hurricane threats in the gulf are putting our energy lifeline in danger.  The longer we have Senators like Rick Santorum that continue to question the scientific consensus, the longer we will continue to believe the false idea that the solution is to drill our way out of this mess.

As a strong supporter of Bob Casey, I am nervous about the upcoming three months of campaigning because the big GOP donors will be heading into Pennsylvania to shake things up.  The only way we can kick the Republicans out of the majority in the Senate is if we take the initiative and get involved.  If you can contribute or volunteer for the Casey Campaign, you will help steer America towards that goal.

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Other sites blogging about this issue: MyDD, Meetup.com, Berkeley Bubble, 2 Political Junkies, The Huffington Post, Caffeinated Politics, Political Wire.

Comments

[Jane Keill]

9/1/07

Senator Casey,

How's that Hsu pinching your foot now?

Jane Keill
Glenview, IL