In a significant turn of events, incumbent Sen. Bob Casey conceded in the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania to Republican challenger Dave McCormick. This concession came after an email from Casey’s campaign, where he expressed his congratulations to McCormick on his win in the race. The email also highlighted the importance of the voices of Pennsylvanians being heard, regardless of when their votes were counted.
Acknowledging the close nature of the race, Casey also addressed the ongoing legal battles surrounding the vote counting process. He emphasized the importance of standing up against efforts to disenfranchise voters and mentioned the successful court challenges that allowed nearly a thousand eligible voters in Philadelphia to have their votes counted.
In response to Casey’s concession, McCormick issued a statement expressing his gratitude towards the Senator for his dedication to bettering the commonwealth. McCormick and his wife, Dina, extended their appreciation to Casey, Terese, and their family for their years of service, hard work, and personal sacrifices.
The race between Casey and McCormick triggered a recount due to the narrow margin of the unofficial vote tally falling within a 0.5% threshold. The results of the recount were expected to be announced by the state on Wednesday. Notably, this recount marked the fourth time Pennsylvania has conducted such a process since 2004, with previous recounts failing to alter the election outcome.
Following the Associated Press’s projection of McCormick’s victory earlier in the month, he delivered a victory speech. However, his campaign subsequently filed a lawsuit challenging provisional ballots in Philadelphia that were still undergoing counting. The state Supreme Court had previously ruled that provisional ballots could be used to correct errors on mail-in ballots, such as missing signatures or secrecy envelopes.
Sen. John Fetterman, another representative of Pennsylvania, praised Casey’s legacy, stating that it had contributed to a better Pennsylvania. Governor Josh Shapiro also expressed his appreciation for Casey’s service on social media and congratulated McCormick on his victory. Shapiro expressed eagerness to collaborate with McCormick in the U.S. Senate for the betterment of the commonwealth.
Bob Casey, a native of Scranton, had served three terms in the U.S. Senate, previously holding positions as state auditor general and treasurer. On the other hand, Dave McCormick, born in Washington, Pennsylvania, and raised in Bloomsburg, had a background as the CEO of Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund. He had also served in top positions under Presidents Donald Trump and George W. Bush.
As the dust settled on this closely contested Senate race in Pennsylvania, the political landscape awaited the next steps and actions of the newly elected Senator, Dave McCormick. The transition of power and the implications for the future governance of the commonwealth were topics of keen interest and discussion among political analysts and the general public.
