Pennsylvania Democrat Blaine Forkner announced the launch of his progressive senatorial campaign, gearing up a primary challenge for Democrat Sen. Bob Casey, whom potential Republican challengers criticize as having no true record of accomplishments, rather acting as nothing more than a “rubber stamp” for the Biden agenda.
Forkner, a 43-year-old engineer living in Pittsburgh, has pitched himself as a “progressive voice who will never back down.”
“I’m running for U.S. Senate to give a voice to the teacher, the student, the nurse, the doctor, the electrician, the engineer, and everyday Americans everywhere,” Forkner said in a statement, vowing to “fight against the Washington bureaucrats and plutocrats to make healthcare universal for everyone, lower the cost of a college degree and ensure an economic future that works for workers.”
The “Meet Blaine” section of his website describes the Senate hopeful’s humble beginnings, living in hotels and trailer parks in seven states.
That section also touches on issues Forkner appears to be passionate about, including his progressive stance on guns.
It reads in part:
Tragic events have touched Blaine’s life personally, including the sorrowful incident at Virginia Tech’s campus on April 16th, 2007, where three of his cousins were present, and his grandfather taught classes in Norris Hall. Additionally, he experienced a similar ordeal at a higher education facility he designed, further reinforcing his commitment to make schools safer and to ensure the safety and security of every student.
Forkner’s decision to jump into the race could be monumental, as it could push Casey further to the left. That is significant, given the fact that Casey has been able to dip relatively under the radar, as recent polling shows he is not incredibly popular or well-known among Pennsylvania voters. More than 27 percent have no opinion of him or do not know him, and just 39 percent have a favorable view, compared to 33 percent who do not, according to a recent National Public Affairs survey.
Democrat Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on December 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
“With Bob Casey, you got two problems. One, he’s the senior senator from one of the most consequential states in the country, one of the largest economies. It’s a battleground state. It’s a harbinger for what’s going on in the country. And he literally — and I don’t know; I’m not overstating this, Matt — he literally has not had a single accomplishment you could point to, the legislative successes,” Republican challenger David McCormick told Breitbart News Saturday.
“There’s nothing Bob Casey is known for across the Commonwealth that is his signature. … He’s not accomplished anything,” he said, emphasizing that Casey has served as nothing more than a “rubber stamp for the Joe Biden agenda.”
Notably, this comes as Casey finally joins the ranks of some of his Democrat colleagues, calling on Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) to resign following bribery allegations — a call Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) made rather quickly.
“Public service is a sacred trust. The specific allegations set forth in the federal indictment indicate to me that Senator Menendez violated that trust repeatedly,” Casey said. “While he is entitled to the presumption of innocence, serving in public office is a privilege that demands a higher standard of conduct. Senator Menendez should resign.”
