Sen. Bob Casey downplays support for anti-Israel, far-left Summer Lee: ‘Don’t agree on every issue’
Sen. Bob Casey tried to distance himself over the weekend from fellow Pennsylvanian and far-left Rep. Summer Lee as the two face tough challenges to keep their respective seats.
“Summer and I don’t agree on every issue,” Casey (D-Pa.) said during a media availability, per PoliticsPA.
“That’s clear. I’ve made my position on her candidacy known back in 2023. The voters now have a chance to make a determination in the Democratic primary and we’ll see what that result is.”
Casey, who has represented the Keystone State in the Senate since 2007, was squarely behind Lee (D-Pa) when she ran to represent Pittsburgh and its eastern and southern suburbs two years ago.
Lee, who has aligned herself with the “Squad” of far-left House Democrats since taking office, is facing a fierce primary fight against Edgewood Borough Councilmember Bhavini Patel Tuesday.
The incumbent has called American Israel Public Affairs Committee “an existential threat to all of democracy” and suggested that the organization is “racist.”
Last week, Lee joined 12 other Democrats and one Republican to vote against a resolution condemning Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack against Israel earlier this month.
Back in February, Lee canceled plans to appear at an annual fundraising banquet sponsored by the Council on American-Islamic Relations due to backlash over antisemitic remarks made by scheduled speakers.
One of the invited guests had described Israelis as “demons” and another claimed that Zionists were adherents of a “sadistic cult.”
At the time, Lee said that she does “not condone or endorse any of the other speakers’ previous comments” and that “I have and continue to condemn antisemitism.”
Meanwhile, Lee has dished out mailers to Democratic primary voters touting Casey’s endorsement, the Washington Free Beacon reported earlier this month.
Casey has received nearly $600,000 in financial backing from AIPAC during his Senate tenure, according to filings compiled by OpenSecrets.
A Casey rep did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Democrat is likely to face Republican David McCormick in the November general election, a race that could be key to determining the balance of power in the Senate.
