The results of Pennsylvania’s Senate race remain uncalled, as the state processes the final ballots in a razor-thin contest between Republican David McCormick and three-term Democratic incumbent Bob Casey. While McCormick currently leads by a slight margin, with the Associated Press calling the race in his favor on November 7, the state is still counting thousands of votes. Pennsylvania’s election rules require an automatic recount if the margin falls at or below 0.5%, meaning the race could continue to draw out as the process unfolds.
This uncertainty, however, hasn’t stopped Senate Republicans from sounding off over the exclusion of McCormick from this week’s Senate orientation, a move led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Schumer has reportedly declined to invite McCormick while Casey has not yet conceded the race, sparking criticism from GOP leaders. They argue that Schumer is intentionally barring McCormick from preparing to take office despite the Associated Press projecting him as the winner.
Senator Marco Rubio took to social media to voice his frustration with Schumer’s decision, framing it as inconsistent with Democratic calls for respecting election outcomes. “Schumer is not allowing @DaveMcCormickPA to participate in Senate orientation this week because Casey refuses to concede the race,” Rubio wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “What happened to all the demands that our leaders accept the outcome of the elections?”
Other Republican lawmakers echoed this sentiment, with Senator Ted Cruz offering a sharply worded rebuke of Schumer’s stance. “Chuck Schumer is an election denier,” Cruz wrote in his own post. “Chuck, the country overwhelmingly rejected your petty tyranny when they voted you out of being the Majority Leader. Do the right thing and invite Senator-Elect McCormick to orientation.”
While McCormick’s camp has remained largely quiet on the recount possibilities, his slim lead has given Republicans confidence in his eventual victory. McCormick, a businessman, veteran, and former CEO of the hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, received an endorsement from President-elect Donald Trump earlier this year, further solidifying his status as a GOP favorite.
Democrats, however, remain cautious, emphasizing the need to see every vote counted. Senator John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, also raised concerns about the AP’s call, cautioning against finalizing any outcome until all ballots are tallied. “We still have tens of thousands of votes to be counted across the Commonwealth,” Fetterman said in a social media post, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the final results.
Casey himself has stood firm on not conceding until all votes are accounted for. In a recent statement, he reiterated his dedication to ensuring that every Pennsylvanian’s vote is counted. “Pennsylvania is where our democratic process was born,” he wrote, stressing the importance of seeing through the state’s election procedures.
The tension in Pennsylvania reflects the high stakes of this year’s elections as the GOP prepares to assume Senate control in January. Schumer’s decision to withhold McCormick’s invitation has only amplified partisan divides, with both parties eagerly awaiting the final result in one of the year’s most tightly contested races.