Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., is dealing with criticism from his Republican opponent for photos in a marketing campaign advert that present the border wall as his marketing campaign touts his efforts to safe the southern border regardless of his previous opposition to wall development, which Casey has referred to as “a waste of cash.”
A recent ad by Casey says he has “voted repeatedly to safe the border” and has voted “25 occasions to safe the border.” Through the spot, the backdrop on the display screen exhibits the border wall and what seems to be Trump-era wall development.
The transfer is just like strikes by the Harris campaign, which has additionally proven photos of the border wall in its advertisements regardless of shutting down most wall development.
TEXAS DEM’S SENATE AD FEATURES BORDER WALL HE ONCE BLASTED AS ‘RACIST’
This screenshot exhibits an advert by Sen. Bob Casey’s marketing campaign (Screenshot)
However the susceptible Democratic senator has a historical past of largely opposition reasonably than help for the wall. In 2019, he stated “constructing a wall is a waste of cash” and that the U.S. needs to be “investing in border infrastructure and safety know-how at ports of entry, the place most unlawful smuggling occurs.”
“President Trump doesn’t appear to get it. He’s not getting a concrete or metal wall alongside the width of the border — by no means, ever, ever, ever,” Casey stated on X.
“If President Trump is severe about stopping unlawful medication, then he ought to cease speaking about constructing an ineffective wall and begin speaking about hiring extra individuals and starting 24-hour surveillance of car screenings,” Casey stated in an interview the identical yr.
Casey additionally voted in opposition to a border safety deal that might have mixed everlasting standing for younger unlawful immigrants who got here to the U.S. as kids in trade for border wall funding.
The Biden administration halted border wall development in early 2021 after getting into workplace. Casey’s votes recommend help for that transfer. He repeatedly voted against measures launched by Republicans that blocked the cancellation of wall contracts. He has additionally voted in opposition to the Home GOP border safety invoice, which included border wall funding, and in opposition to an modification in 2022 to replace funding for a chief readiness help officer with $500 million for border wall development.
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Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick, proper, believes Pennsylvania voters are realizing the significance of the 2024 election. (Reuters I Related Press)
Fox Information Digital has previously reported that Casey supported a border fence in 2006 however later voted in opposition to a lot of fence-related funding amendments within the years after that.
This yr, Casey has thrown his help behind a bipartisan border safety measure that might have elevated funding to the border and would restrict asylum entries into the U.S. It has discovered help with the Biden administration, together with Vice President Kamala Harris. The invoice features a restricted quantity of border wall funding, however solely a fraction of the billions that had been requested by former President Trump.
Dave McCormick, the Republican difficult Casey for his Senate seat, accused him of mendacity about his file within the advertisements.
“Bob Casey is but once more mendacity to the commonwealth. He is weak and determined to cowl up his excessive file of opposing a wall, supporting open borders and enabling the flood of fentanyl pouring into the nation,” McCormick stated in a press release to Fox Information Digital. “Pennsylvanians are sick of the liberal hypocrisy and prepared for a powerful chief who will combat day-after-day to complete the wall, safe the border and shield our communities.”
The Casey marketing campaign defended his file on the border, pointing to his help of a bipartisan 2013 immigration reform invoice by the ‘’Gang of Eight” that included including 700 miles of fencing to the border together with different measures, together with a pathway to citizenship for some unlawful immigrants.
HARRIS DOUBLES DOWN ON SUPPORT FOR LEFT-WING BENEFIT FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS: ‘SMART SOLUTIONS’
McCormick accused Casey of mendacity about his file. (Getty Photos)
It additionally pointed to broader border safety votes Casey has made, together with voting for digital verification methods, emergency funding for safety and Border Patrol hiring, a 2023 appropriations invoice that included $10.7 billion in border safety funding and a 2021 modification to create a deficit-neutral reserve for immigration enforcement.
“Sen. Casey has voted greater than 25 occasions to safe our border, working with Republicans so as to add bodily obstacles, rent extra Border Patrol brokers and spend money on border safety know-how to cease the unlawful stream of fentanyl and preserve Pennsylvanians protected,” spokesperson Kate Good stated.
The marketing campaign additionally famous McCormick’s opposition to the bipartisan invoice launched this yr. McCormick referred to as that laws a “capitulation” and stated it will solidify excessive ranges of unlawful immigration.
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“David McCormick opposed the hardest border safety invoice in fashionable historical past that was backed by Border Patrol brokers and written by members of his personal social gathering as a result of he cares extra about enjoying petty politics than holding Pennsylvanians protected,” Good stated.
The advert isn’t the one wall-related advert controversy within the Senate race. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, featured the southern border wall in a current Senate marketing campaign advert regardless of having beforehand claimed the wall proposed by former President Trump was “racist.”
Fox Information’ Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
