Republican challenger Dave McCormick has declared victory over Democratic Senator Bob Casey in a closely contested race to flip his Pennsylvania seat. With just over 30,000 votes separating the candidates, McCormick’s team is confident that he will be the next United States Senator from Pennsylvania. Despite this claim, the race remains close enough that it may trigger an automatic recount, with Cambria County potentially serving as a firewall against a last-minute surge from Casey. The county faced setbacks due to a voting system malfunction on Election Day, leading to a necessary hand count of the votes.
As of November 7, the Pennsylvania government website reported that McCormick had received 3,337,473 votes while Casey garnered 3,305,970 votes, with 97 percent of the votes counted. NBC News stated that roughly 181,000 votes still need to be counted, with three independent candidates holding a combined 2.5 percent of the vote that could influence the outcome. If the race remains within a margin of less than or equal to 0.5 percent of the total vote count, it would trigger an automatic recount according to state law. Candidates can also request a recount, with no specific margin required and no set deadline for completion.
While McCormick has claimed victory, Casey’s campaign has expressed that the vote margin has shrunk by 50,000 votes and now falls within half a point, potentially leading to an automatic recount in Pennsylvania. With thousands of votes still to be counted, Casey’s team remains committed to ensuring that every Pennsylvanian’s vote is heard and is confident that Senator Casey will be re-elected. Casey, the son of former Governor Bob Casey, has held his seat since 2007, while McCormick comes from a military background and has served in key roles during the Bush administration. McCormick previously ran for the Senate in 2022 but lost to Mehmet Oz, who was backed by former President Donald Trump.
The closely contested race in Pennsylvania has significant implications, with Republicans regaining control of the Senate after flipping two seats as of Thursday. Despite McCormick’s victory declaration, the ongoing vote counting and the potential for an automatic recount leave the final outcome uncertain. Both candidates and their teams are closely monitoring the situation as election officials work to ensure that every vote is accurately counted. With the Senate majority at stake, the final results of this race could play a crucial role in shaping the political landscape in the coming years.
