The union representing firefighters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s largest city, has endorsed David McCormick, the Republican businessman running for the US Senate against Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, Jr.

President Mike Bresnan of IAFF Local 22, which represents more than 4,500 firefighters and first responders in Philadelphia, said Thursday that until this election cycle, they had never met with Sen. Casey during his two six-year terms of his in the office, according Fox News.

“Dave McCormick possesses all the qualities that will catapult us forward,” Bresnan said at a news conference announcing the endorsement.

“We’re confident that Dave McCormick will step up when we need him. He is unequivocally the right choice for senator at this crucial time in our country’s history.”

“We’re here today to talk about why these people are voting for change as opposed to the status quo,” said candidate McCormick. “We have urban decay, skyrocketing crime rates. They make parts of this incredible city a terrifying place to raise children.”

The Philadelphia IAFF local endorsed Casey in his first re-election bid in 2018.

McCormick singled out “George Soros-funded prosecutors,” citing Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, as one who has “undermined the rule of law.”

“(Casey) essentially supported policies that made their (firefighters and first responders) jobs harder. He supports liberal prosecutors like Larry Krasner. He refuses to support tough enforcement and tough border policies and has voted against a total of $800 million in opioid and narcotics detection funds in the Senate.”

McCormick added that Casey also voted against it Kate’s Lawa bill that would impose minimum prison terms for illegal immigrant offenders following the 2015 slaying of 32-year-old Kate Steinle by a Mexican national on a San Francisco pier.

A spokesman for Casey’s campaign said the senator enjoys support from law enforcement and firefighter groups, according to Fox News.

“Senator Casey has a long and clear track record of working with law enforcement and first responders and has delivered hundreds of millions of dollars to support them – that’s why he has the support of current and retired law enforcement and the Professional Firefighters Association of Pennsylvania,” he said. Kate Smart.