Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) announced Thursday that he has prostate cancer but is expected to make a “full recovery.”
“Last month, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer,” Casey said in a statement. “While this news comes as a shock, I can report that I have an excellent prognosis, having benefited from exceptional medical care and the unwavering support of my family.”
“In the coming months, I will undergo an operation, after which I will fully recover,” said the 62-year-old. “I am confident that the recommended treatment will allow me to continue my service in the 118th Congress with minimal disruption, and I look forward to the work ahead.”
Casey was first elected to the Senate in 2006 and has been a moderate voice in the upper chamber. He is one of two Democrats representing Pennsylvania in the Senate after Sen. John Fetterman was sworn in this week.
“Looking forward to Senator Casey after his diagnosis. He was there for me and I will be there for him through this,” Fetterman said tweeted. “You got this, Senator!”
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who was elected in November to be the state’s next governor, said that Casey was “a fighter for all Pennsylvanians and I am proud to call him a dear friend.”
“Lori and I are thinking of Bob and Terese right now and sending our love and warmth,” the Democrat said. “We look forward to celebrating the Senator’s recovery and the work we will do together in the years to come.”
Casey has helped negotiate bipartisan legislation in the Senate and taken stances on high-profile issues that sometimes contradicted his personal opinions. Democrats entered Congress with anti-abortion and pro-gun rights positions, setting them apart from many of their colleagues in the party. He has since helped push to expand background checks for gun purchases and joined Democrats last year in an effort to codify access to abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Casey is up for re-election in 2024. The senator’s office has not said whether he will run again.