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Republican ad attacks Bob Casey over pro-Palestinian campus protests by linking them to student debt relief

It’s quite a leap to conflate support for student loan relief with support for antisemitic protest speech on campuses but the ads show the opening that Republicans see to attack Democrats on the war.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the campaign arm for the Senate Republicans, and its counterpart in the House, are dropping digital ads on Wednesday targeting potentially vulnerable incumbent Democrats such as Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.).
The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the campaign arm for the Senate Republicans, and its counterpart in the House, are dropping digital ads on Wednesday targeting potentially vulnerable incumbent Democrats such as Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.).Read moreThe National Republican Senatorial Committee/YouTube / The National Republican Senatorial Committee/YouTube

Republicans are trying to tie Democratic support for student loan forgiveness to unrest at college campuses, in an attempt to capitalize politically on boiling tensions about the war in Gaza.

The NRSC, the campaign arm for the Senate Republicans, and its counterpart in the House, are dropping digital ads Wednesday targeting potentially vulnerable incumbent Democrats.

An ad aimed at Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) says “students radicalized by the far left are acting like terrorists. Now Joe Biden and Bob Casey want to pay off their student loans.”

Similar ads are running in Wisconsin, Ohio, Montana, and Michigan attacking Democrats running in those states.

It’s quite a leap to conflate support for student loan relief with support for antisemitic protest speech on campuses but the ads show the opening that Republicans see to attack Democrats on the war in Gaza and resulting protests, which have divided some in the party.

The Biden administration announced earlier this month a plan that if implemented would bring the total number of Americans benefitting from student debt relief to 30 million. Some of those eligible left school long ago and have been repaying debts for more than 20 years.

Casey said Friday that students have a right to protest but that universities should have clear codes of conduct in place.

“And I think you can achieve that goal and still be a place or a setting where the First Amendment is protected,” he said. “We can have robust debate and also prevent racism and antisemitism.”

Casey is also the current co-sponsor of a bill along with Sen. Tim Scott (R., S.C.) that would require the U.S. Department of Education to consider the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism when enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws. The definition has been heavily criticized, including by some Israeli groups, who say it stifles free speech relating to criticism of Israeli actions and policies because of how it considers criticism of Israel antisemitism.

Casey also introduced a bill in January designed to help students report alleged civil rights violations at federally funded institutions. And he’s repeatedly called for additional funding to go to the Department of Education to investigate an increase in reports of hate speech on campuses.

His Republican challenger Dave McCormick has disavowed the campus protests occurring in Pennsylvania and across the country, calling the demonstrations “anti-American,” antisemitic and “bordering on violence.” He said that law enforcement should clear out the encampments.

McCormick previously said foreign nationals supporting Hamas should lose their visas and posted on social media this week that such a punishment should also extend to “out of control protesters on America’s college campuses.”