He used to be an anti-abortion Democrat. Now he’s Biden’s secret weapon

In the upscale Philadelphia suburb of Glenside last month, Senator Bob Casey turned on the charm at a campaign office opening.

A lesser-known, longtime veteran of the Senate, Casey’s pullover sweaters and nice-guy demeanor have earned him comparisons to another son of Pennsylvania — Mister Rogers — as well as the nickname “Mr Pennsylvania” by his state counterpart, Senator John Fetterman.

But beneath this folksy, Biden-esque persona is a steely operator who’s supposed to prove a critical asset to the president in the 2024 race.

A New York Times/Siena College poll showed Casey has a five-point lead in Pennsylvania against Republican Dave McCormick, a sign of Casey’s high name recognition and popularity. But that doesn’t mean he’s in for a smooth ride in November. Last month, a super PAC supporting his former hedge fund executive rival, Dave McCormick, dropped $4 million on an ad buy, and it plans to spend $30m for him overall. Republicans know the importance of knocking off Casey is that it would end the Democrats’ one-seat majority in the Senate. Much is at stake.

But Casey’s recent change of heart when it comes to his stance on abortion could be what shifts the needle. For a long time he remained one of the few anti-abortion Democrats in Congress. But he says the Supreme Court’s overturning Roe v Wade in 2022 changed his mind.

“If they can take a 49-year right away from women, they can take a right away from workers in the same court,” Casey said at a campaign speech in Glenside in May. He went on to promise that he plans to concentrate primarily on protecting women’s rights and voter rights.

During an interview with The Independent, he notes: “I think most Americans are looking at the issue of abortion with a very