Sen. Bob Casey’s (D-PA) reelection campaign is bracing for an automatic recount in Pennsylvania’s battleground Senate race that remained among the handful too close to call.
Republican Dave McCormick led Casey 48.9%-48.5% with 99% of the ballots counted. The 0.4-point gap, or roughly 30,000 votes, was within the 0.5-percentage-point threshold that triggers a required recount in the Key Stone State.
The Casey campaign projected confidence its deficit would erode once remaining votes were tallied in the closely watched battle that could expand the Senate’s Republican majority next year.
“With tens of thousands more votes to be counted, we are committed to ensuring every Pennsylvanian’s vote is heard and confidence that at the end of that process, Senator Casey will be re-elected,” Casey campaign spokeswoman Maddy McDaniel said in a statement.
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The McCormick campaign and Senate Republicans claimed an unofficial victory, equally as confident that their candidate would maintain his slim lead. The campaign says Casey should concede and that it was past time for outlets to call the race.
“While votes continue to be counted, any way you slice it, Dave McCormick will be the next United States senator from Pennsylvania,” McCormick campaign communications director Elizabeth Gregory said in a statement.
The McCormick campaign was eyeing Cambria County, a conservative stronghold with only 51% of its ballots tallied, as evidence the race was over. McCormick led the county by about 25 points.
Democrats countered by noting outstanding provisional ballots in past cycles have favored them.
President-elect Donald Trump flipped Pennsylvania with 50.5% to Vice President Kamala Harris’s 48.5%. McCormick was underperforming Trump at 48.9%, while Casey was matching Harris at 48.5%.
The nail-biter race could still be weeks away from being decided, given provisional ballots and a possible recount. But with or without it, Republicans will have at least a two-seat majority come January. The current chamber makeup from the election sits at 52-45, with Senate races in Nevada and Arizona also too close to call but leaning in Democrats’ favor.
Democrats led in both states, with Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) leading Republican Sam Brown by 0.9 points in Nevada with 90% of the ballots. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) was ahead by 2.2 points of Republican Kari Lake in Arizona with 69% of the ballots.
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Although Election Day came and went, the continued counting of ballots and the possibility of recounts or legal action meant the pleas for campaign donations weren’t over. Supporters of Casey, Rosen, and Gallego continued to face donation solicitations, some of which were sent on behalf of the campaign of Maryland Democratic Sen.-elect Angela Alsobrooks.
On the House side, Republicans got good news out of Pennsylvania on Thursday when a trio of tight House races were called all in the GOP’s favor. Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), the former Freedom Caucus chairman, won his race, while Republican Robert Bresnahan unseated Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) and Republican Ryan Mackenzie beat incumbent Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA).