PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Rick Santorum is down in the polls in Wisconsin, where Mitt Romney is favored to win on Tuesday, but one Democrat who defeated Santorum six years ago says nobody should take the former Pennsylvania senator lightly.

“He’s a tough candidate. He’s a smart candidate,” says Senator Bob Casey, who is up for re-election this year.

In an interview with KDKA Political Editor Jon Delano, Casey credits Santorum for a good showing thus far.

“It’s a tough process and it’s a tough business and we know how difficult statewide campaigns are, I can only imagine what it’s like on a national scale,” Casey said.

But Casey, a supporter of President Obama’s re-election, also hopes Santorum will stay in the race.

“The internal fight that they’re having in their party at the presidential level is having an adverse impact on Republican prospects, so, I don’t want to do anything to slow that down,” Casey said.

Six years ago, Casey attacked Santorum for supporting President Bush 98 percent of the time.

Here’s candidate Casey on June 23, 2006: “Senator Santorum is continually trying to distract attention away from his 98 percent voting record with the president.”

Now, his five Republican challengers say Casey votes 98 percent of the time with President Obama.

Delano: “Turn-about fair play?”

Casey: “Well, I figured they’d focus on that.”

Casey says he’s been tougher than the administration on trade and foreign policy and singularly focused on jobs for Pennsylvania.

“I think there’s a very strong case to be made that I’ve been an independent senator,” he said.

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