Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick launched a billboard ad campaign in Pennsylvania this week linking Democratic senator Bob Casey to President Joe Biden, amid growing pressure on the octogenarian to bow out of the presidential race over concerns about his health.
"Same Old, Tired Ideas," read the billboards, which show Biden alongside Casey in a "Biden" face mask. The billboards went up Tuesday in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Bloomsburg, and Casey and Biden's hometown of Scranton.
It's Republicans' latest effort to highlight Casey's long friendship with Biden. Republicans have emphasized Casey's record of voting 98 percent of the time in lockstep with Biden and hope Biden's polling deficit in the Keystone State will be a drag on Casey, a three-term incumbent who hails from a Pennsylvania political dynasty. Biden, who in 2020 beat former president Donald Trump by 1 point in Pennsylvania, now trails the Republican by several points in most polls. The gap has grown following Biden's disastrous debate performance last month.
Casey is sticking with Biden, 81, even as a growing number of Democrats have publicly called on the president to suspend his campaign.
The Pennsylvania senator greeted Biden at the Philadelphia airport ahead of a campaign swing through the City of Brotherly Love on Sunday. Casey told a reporter on Tuesday that he has no concerns about Biden's ability to serve another four years in the White House. Biden would be 86 years old at the end of that term.
"Do you support keeping Biden at the top of the ticket?" CNN's Manu Raju asked Casey.
"I've said so numerous times," Casey replied.
Vermont's Peter Welch on Wednesday became the first Senate Democrat to call on Biden to drop out of the presidential race, though several others have cast doubt on Biden's ability to win in November.
Sen. Jon Tester (D., Mont.) said this week Biden has to "prove" that he is capable of serving another four years. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio) reportedly said in a private call with Senate Democrats over the weekend that Biden is unlikely to win in November. Sens. Michael Bennet (D., Colo.) and Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.) have issued similar statements.
Casey's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.