Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer refused to invite Republican Pennsylvania Senator-elect Dave McCormick to the November senate orientation because he says McCormick’s race isn’t over yet, according to Politico.
The Associated Press (AP) called Pennsylvania’s senate race for McCormick on Thursday, announcing he beat incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Casey with 49 percent of the vote to Casey’s 48.5 percent.
Despite The AP call, Casey has refused to concede.
Schumer similarly appears to believe the race isn’t quite over yet. (RELATED: Democrats Find Themselves In Deep Hole For Upcoming Senate Elections)
“With over 100,000 ballots left to be counted in Pennsylvania, the race has not been decided. As is custom, we will invite the winner once the votes are counted,” a Schumer spokesperson said in a Sunday statement provided to Politico.
McCormick has a near 40,000 vote lead over Casey with 99 percent of votes counted, according to The AP.
McCormick himself brandished that fact on Fox News.
“Mathematically, there’s no path for Senator Casey to win,” McCormick said on Fox. “Currently, I’m up by something like 40,000 votes, which is a very significant margin. And ultimately, Senator Casey’s going to have to decide when he’s willing to acknowledge that.”
Other Republicans lashed out at Schumer for withholding McCormick’s invite.
“Schumer is not allowing Dave McCormick to participate in Senate orientation this week because Casey refuses to concede the race. What happened to all the demands that our leaders accept the outcome of the elections?” Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio wrote.
Schumer is not allowing @DaveMcCormickPA to participate in Senate orientation this week because Casey refuses to concede the race. What happened to all the demands that our leaders accept the outcome of the elections?
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 10, 2024
Other GOPers vying to replace Schumer as Senate Majority Leader were also quick to castigate the long time New York lawmaker.
“The idea that Schumer would not allow him to participate in Senate orientation is beyond unacceptable,” Republican South Dakota Sen. John Thune, one of three Senators favored to win the job, wrote in a Sunday tweet.
“The voters of Pennsylvania have spoken. Looking forward to having Dave’s strong voice in the Senate Republican Conference.”
Dave McCormick is the new senator for Pennsylvania. The idea that Schumer would not allow him to participate in Senate orientation is beyond unacceptable.
The voters of Pennsylvania have spoken. Looking forward to having Dave’s strong voice in the Senate Republican Conference.
— Senator John Thune (@SenJohnThune) November 10, 2024
Another leader hopeful, Republican Florida Sen. Rick Scott, added his two cents Sunday, calling the move “disgusting.”
“They did the same thing to me after I beat a Democrat in 2018. We have to fight this!” Scott wrote.
Dave McCormick is the senator-elect & @SenSchumer’s move to not allow him to participate in orientation this week is disgusting. They did the same thing to me after I beat a Democrat in 2018. We have to fight this!
AP called it. Dave won, Casey must concede NOW.
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) November 10, 2024
Other lawmakers, like Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee, went even further, vowing to personally carry McCormick onto the Senate floor for the orientation.
I’m willing to personally escort @DaveMcCormickPA into the Capitol for new-senator orientation
I’d like to see how they’d keep him out if he literally walked into “the room where it happens” https://t.co/6grLl0eUcf
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) November 10, 2024
“I’m willing to personally escort Dave McCormick into the Capitol for new-senator orientation,” Lee wrote on X. “I’d like to see how they’d keep him out if he literally walked into ‘the room where it happens.’”
Republican Alabama Sen. Katie Britt joined his rallying call, writing, “I’ll be right there alongside you, Mike. Dave McCormick is the Senator-elect for Pennsylvania and deserves to be at orientation alongside every other member of his freshman class.”
I’ll be right there alongside you, Mike.@DaveMcCormickPA is the Senator-elect for Pennsylvania and deserves to be at orientation alongside every other member of his freshman class. https://t.co/wKrY3CwKuh
— Katie Britt (@KatieBrittforAL) November 10, 2024
Schumer also neglected to invite the projected winner of the Arizona Senate race, Democrat Ruben Gallego, to the orientation. The AP has yet to call Arizona’s Senate race for either Gallego or his challenger, Republican Kari Lake.