U.S. Sen. Bob Casey talks about the midterm election campaign Tuesday at the Leo E. Solomon-Plains Elementary School.
                                 Mark Guydish | Times Leader

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey talks about the midterm election campaign Tuesday at the Leo E. Solomon-Plains Elementary School.

Mark Guydish | Times Leader

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PLAINS TWP. — U.S. Sen. Bob Casey was in town Tuesday to announce $75,000 in community project funding from the FY22 spending law for the United Way’s Grade Level Reading Initiatives, but he also came to campaign for fellow Democrats.

Casey, D-Scranton, said the funding will help United Way improve elementary school students’ reading proficiency across Wyoming Valley because currently, only 36% of third graders in the Wyoming Valley are reading at grade level.

Casey was at the Leo E. Solomon-Plains Elementary School before heading out for several stops throughout Luzerne County to campaign on behalf of Democratic candidates and to urge voters to get out and vote on Nov. 8.

As Casey succinctly put it Tuesday morning, he believes that Democrats will win on Tuesday in Pennsylvania — specifically, Casey said Josh Shapiro will win the governor’s race, John Fetterman will hold off a surging Mehmet Oz to give Pennsylvania two Democratic U.S. Senators, and U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright will hang on to his seat in the House.

“I really don’t see any erosion of support for the Democratic candidates,” Casey said. “Luzerne County may be more difficult for Democrats than Lackawanna County, but I believe Democrats will do better in this election than they did in 2020.”

Casey also said he sees no significant loss of support for Democrats in Lackawanna County, where Cartwright, for example, did well in 2020 in defeating Jim Bognet, his opponent again in 2022.

Casey said he is confident Democrats will retain the majority in the House of Representatives, but the Senate could see a 50-50 split.

Casey said he has been with Fetterman several times during the campaign and he said he has observed Fetterman progress in his recovery from his stroke.

Shapiro is scheduled to be in Luzerne County on Friday, Nov. 4, at 5:30 p.m. at IBEW Local 1319, 225 Division St., Kingston.

As the election winds down, both parties are bringing out big names to try to convince voters to vote for their candidates. President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama will appear in Philadelphia on Saturday to boost Pennsylvania Democrats just days before crucial elections across the state.

The visit, announced by the Democratic National Committee on Monday, coincides with former President Donald Trump’s previously announced rally for Republican candidates at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe in Western Pennsylvania.

An Associated Press story said the current and former presidents will be aiming to help candidates running in the Nov. 8 elections for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House that could reverberate around the country.

The AP story noted that Biden and Trump could also be previewing a potential rematch of their 2020 presidential race. Pennsylvania will again be a pivotal battleground for whoever runs for president in 2024.

“The governor’s race could determine the future of abortion and voting laws in a pivotal swing state, and could decide if Mastriano, a prominent election denier, gains oversight of the state’s election system for the 2024 presidential race,” the AP story stated. “Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate contest is one of a handful that could decide control of the chamber and significantly influence Biden’s agenda and his nominees.”

Trump previously rallied for Oz and Mastriano in early September in Wilkes-Barre.

While at the Solomon school, Casey called out Republican leaders to condemn the recent attack on the husband of Speaker Nancy Pelosi at their San Francisco home.

AP reported that the man accused of attacking Pelosi’s husband with a hammer told police he wanted to hold the Democratic leader hostage and “break her kneecaps” to show other members of Congress there were “consequences to actions,” authorities said Monday.

“Republican leaders need to condemn this attack and call out what leads to this attack,” Casey said. “If they don’t speak out, they become part of the problem.”

Casey also said social media companies also need to do more “to stop perpetuating untruths and lies.”

Department of State advises voters to hand-deliver mail-in, absentee ballots

With just one week until the Nov. 8 election, Acting Secretary of State Leigh M. Chapman Tuesday encouraged Pennsylvanians voting by mail ballot to hand-deliver their ballots to their county election office, a drop box or other designated location as soon as possible.

“It’s time to return your mail ballot to ensure it arrives by the deadline of 8 p.m. on Election Day. Do not wait until the last minute,” Chapman said during a Capitol press conference. “Hand deliver your mail ballot now to your county election office or authorized drop-off location to be certain your vote will be counted.”

Voters who requested a mail ballot have several options for hand-delivering their voted ballot. They can:

• Drop it off at their county election office.

• Find out if their county has a drop box. If so, they can deliver their ballot there.

• Find out if their county has a satellite election office where they can drop off their ballot.

Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 8. Chapman reminded voters that if they are in line by 8 p.m., they should stay there — they will be able to vote.

“Election Day is a week away,” Chapman said. “It’s time to execute your plan to vote. If you have a mail ballot, hand-deliver it immediately. And if you plan to vote in person on Nov. 8, be sure you know where your polling place is and have arranged for any needed transportation.”

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.