Robert P. Casey Jr.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette In the most highly anticipated U.S. Senate battle in November, Pennsylvania's Democratic State Treasurer Robert P. Casey Jr., who just won the bid in last week's primary, will challenge Rick Santorum, the two-term Republican incumbent.

Born into a political family (his father, Bob Sr., served as governor of Pennsylvania from 1987-95), Casey, 46, is a proven vote-getter on his own, winning more votes than any other candidate for state and federal office in the history of Pennsylvania.

The father of four daughters who lives in Scranton, he served two terms as the state's auditor general before becoming state treasurer in 2005.

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Q. Was there any one issue that put you in this race?

A. Well, it wasn't one issue. It was really a concern I had that the country was, and still is, going in the wrong direction because of the Bush administration. We've got a senator, Sen. Santorum, who, since President Bush has been in office, votes with President Bush 98 percent of the time. I think we need a senator who is going to be more independent than that. I think the country needs a new direction, and that's what really got me into this race: To focus on real Pennsylvanian priorities like lowering the deficit, reducing the cost of health care and growing the economy.

Q. What do you see as Sen. Santorum's Achilles' heel?

A. I think the fact that he spends far too much time in his day leading an ideology and working on issues that are of concern to Republicans. You know, he brags about his position of being No. 3 in the Senate, but it's a partisan party leadership position. He doesn't show enough independence.

Q. So, how partisan would you be if you get to the Senate?

A. I'd approach issues of public policy, especially budget issues, the way I've always approached important issues, and that's in a very independent way. I don't think you go to Washington to lead the point of view of one party only. You go to fight for the people of Pennsylvania. You know from the work that I've done as auditor general and state treasurer I've been very independent.

Q. So much taxpayer money is wasted on boondoggles like the bridge to nowhere in Alaska.

A. In many ways, that's why I am uniquely qualified to be in the Senate, because I've spent most of the last decade fighting waste, fraud and abuse. I think I can show an awful lot of leadership in the Senate routing out waste and fraud. What we've seen too much of is a lot of posturing in Washington, mostly by Republican power brokers, who would rather cut Medicaid and make poor people and older citizens pay more for Medicare or Medicaid so they can give more to the top 1 percent in a tax cut. That is not only immoral, but it's fiscally irresponsible.

Q. Bob, do you really believe their goal is to give only the top 1 percent a tax break?

A. Absolutely. It's more than a goal. It is something that they have already implemented and they want to keep it going. It is the mantra and the singular focus of President Bush and the leadership of the Republican Party. It's not just inequitable when we are fighting a war in Iraq and we are trying to make sure our troops have the best body armor and we are trying to lower health-care costs and someone I hope in Washington is trying to lower the deficit, it makes no sense.

Q. When you say top 1 percent, what exactly is that income bracket?

A. Let me give you an example. When you are talking about the average -- the average 1 percent for Pennsylvania in 2006 is about $850,000 a year. So maybe a little less than $825,000. So that person would get a tax cut amounting to at least $40,000 or more. That is not the way we are going to grow the economy and lower the cost of health care. What we should do is repeal the tax cut for the top 1 percent.

Q. What is your position on the war in Iraq?

A. As a United States senator, when it comes to very important questions like war, one of the most important things you can do is to ask tough questions and demand answers. We're not getting that from Rick Santorum. No matter what happened before, we are there, and we've got to make sure we have a policy that supports our troops and a policy that supports the beginnings of a democracy. As a candidate, I am going to keep pushing Sen. Rick Santorum to do his job. And as a U.S. senator, I am going to work very hard to ask and demand answers to very tough questions.

Q. Are you concerned about his financial advantage over you at this point?

A. No, I think in the end we're going to have the resources that we need. One of the reasons is because people in Pennsylvania are gonna vote for us because they want to move in a different direction.

Q. Both you and Sen. Santorum are opposed to abortion. Does that make it a non-issue?

A. No, I don't think it does. I think abortion is a very important issue to people on both sides, and it always will be. I think the principal focus for voters in Pennsylvania will be the economy and financial security. You can't say you're concerned about jobs and job growth and building the economy without being very dedicated and serious about lowering the cost of health care. I think it's the same issue now. The reason why a lot of employers can't grow their businesses is the high cost of health care. Washington has no answer, and when I say no answer, I mean zero -- nothing. Nothing has been done to lower the cost of health care since President Bush has been in office.

Q. Do you have a plan to lower health-care costs?

A. First of all, you have to be really committed to it. The president is not and Sen. Santorum is not. We should repeal the tax cuts. I realize some wealthy people won't like that, but that's the right thing to do. It is also the way to free up some dollars to lower the cost of health care by, for example, growing and investing in the children's health insurance program, using federal dollars to grow that program.

Q. Would you maintain the tax cuts for the rest of the population -- everyone who is not in the top 1 percent?

A. I think there are a lot of middle-income families who have gotten some tax relief, and that's good.

Q. Could you please work to get a high-speed train line built linking Pittsburgh to the East Coast, whether it's to Philadelphia, D.C. or New York?

A. You've got to do it within the bounds of fiscal responsibility. That's something we'd have to weigh in the context of the budget reality. But I think certainly there has been a lot of time and effort invested in Western Pennsylvania in Maglev. Frankly, I think Sen. Santorum should use at least this year while he's still in the Senate to show some leadership on that issue.