“Hello, this is Bob Casey.”
That’s what several callers heard Thursday when they called the Washington, D.C., office of Pennsylvania’s Democratic senator.
And then the conversations went something like this: “Yes, it really is. No, this isn’t a recording.”
Casey took a 30-minute turn answering constituent phone calls at his Washington office on Thursday.
Calls to the U.S. Senate over the past week have hit record highs, at more than double the previous record.
“For this past week, we’ve been dealing with an intense increase in call volume,” explained Casey’s press secretary Jacklin Rhoades. “Everyone in the office has been taking 30-minute shifts” helping to answer the phone.
“Today, the senator said he would take a shift,” she explained.
Constituents were “very surprised,” Rhoades said with a laugh. “Lots of them did a double take. They thought it was a recording.”
But when the voice on the other end of the phone started talking to them about their concerns, they quickly realized they had the attention of the senator himself.
“He really enjoyed it,” Rhoades said of the senator.
And what was on the minds of those who were calling?
“Everything from Cabinet nominees to the immigration ban to the wall to the Supreme Court nominee,” she replied. “Most of the comments are about whether they support or oppose the nominations or actions of the new administration.”
Rhoades said the senator’s offices in D.C. and across Pennsylvania are experiencing high call volume — and she hopes it continues.
“We want to hear from as many constituents as possible,” she said. Messages are going to voicemail in some of the senator’s regional offices, as there isn’t enough staff to answer every call. However, Rhoades said, they are being listened to. “We encourage our constituents to leave a message, Tweet us, Facebook us, email us, write us a letter.”
Contact information is available on the senator’s webpage.
Will Casey be on the other end of the phone again? It just may happen, Rhoades said — “If the schedule allows and the calls keep coming.”
Many people took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon to express their displeasure at not being able to reach Pennsylvania’s Republican Senator, Pat Toomey.
Spokesperson E.R. Anderson said, “There is a lot going on in Washington right now. As such, many Pennsylvanians are calling to make their voices heard on a range of issues.
“Senator Toomey’s staff in both Pennsylvania and Washington are taking an ‘all hands on deck’ approach in answering as many calls and emails as possible while also attending to other responsibilities, such as helping veterans, seniors, and attending to legislative concerns,” she continued.
“Voicemail accounts are being emptied regularly, but with call volume as heavy as it is, mailboxes do fill quickly,” Anderson said. “We appreciate everyone’s patience. Another good way to reach the office is via the websitetoomey.senate.gov. Senator Toomey is very much aware of the magnitude of the call volume and receives a roundup of constituent communications and their positions.”
