Washington Post examines Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race between Santorum, Casey

The Washington Post on Sunday examined the U.S. Senate race between incumbent Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) and Pennsylvania Treasurer Bob Casey (D) (Finkel, Washington Post, 10/15).

Santorum opposes access to emergency contraception -- which can prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours after sexual intercourse -- because he says it can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus.

Casey supports EC access (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 9/18). According to the Post, support for Casey's candidacy from Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and Gov. Edward Rendell (D) "rankled many liberal Democrats" in part because another Democratic candidate supported abortion rights.

However, Schumer viewed Casey as the "only candidate who could beat Santorum," the Post reports.

Casey's positions on abortion rights, stem cell research and other issues have "inoculated him against attacks from the right," and a recent poll that had Casey 12 points ahead of Santorum shows that the "race is far less about Casey than about Santorum," the Post reports.

According to pollster G. Terry Madonna, director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin and Marshall College, the poll showed that nearly 30% of likely Casey voters said they support him primarily because they oppose Santorum (Washington Post, 10/15).