Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) conceded the Senate race to Republican Dave McCormick after a contentious recount process, which included an uproar over comments made by a Bucks County official about counting invalid ballots. Casey had contested the results for two weeks, but the controversy over the recount and the official’s remarks made it impossible to avoid the inevitable conclusion.
The race, which saw McCormick winning by just over 16,000 votes, triggered an automatic recount due to the close margin. However, tensions escalated when Bucks County Board of Commissioners Chair Diane Ellis-Marseglia suggested that ballots with missing or incorrect dates could be counted, even though this is against state law. Her comments caused significant backlash, leading to accusations that the integrity of the election was being undermined.
🚨BREAKING
Weeks Later McCormick Wins!
Bob Casey officially concedes the Pennsylvania Senate Race to Trump-endorsed Republican, Dave McCormick. With attempts at counting illegal ballots failed, Casey had no where else to turn. They made a mockery of election integrity! Pathetic. pic.twitter.com/mLcOVr8vuz— John Cremeans USA (@JohnCremeansUSA) November 21, 2024
“I just called Dave McCormick to congratulate him on his election to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Senate,” Casey said in his concession. “This race was one of the closest in our Commonwealth’s history, decided by less than a quarter of a point. I am grateful to everyone who worked tirelessly to make sure every eligible vote was counted.”
Ellis-Marseglia later issued an apology for her comments, claiming that her statement had been misinterpreted. “I apologize for all the upset and confusion it caused,” she said, trying to quell the backlash. Despite her apology, the controversy surrounding the recount lingered, drawing attention to the potential vulnerabilities in the state’s election process.
Democrat Sen. Bob Casey finally concedes Pa. race to GOP’s Dave McCormick, weeks after it was called https://t.co/uYgi4xY9l4 pic.twitter.com/15lqF6bY12
— New York Post (@nypost) November 22, 2024
McCormick, who will now represent Pennsylvania in the Senate, thanked Casey for his years of service. “Dina and I want to extend our sincere gratitude to Senator Casey, Terese, and their family for their decades of service,” McCormick said. “I am honored to represent every single citizen in Pennsylvania and will fight for you every day.”
