The Republican Party has strongly criticized Democrats for their refusal to concede the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania. The focus of their criticism is three-term incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, who is moving forward with a costly recount effort that Republicans argue is a blatant violation of state law.
The recount was initiated after a news agency declared the race for Republican candidate David McCormick, who narrowly defeated Casey. McCormick's unofficial margin of victory is approximately 26,000 votes, falling within the 0.5% threshold required under Pennsylvania law to trigger an automatic recount.
Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt announced that the state would proceed with the recount, citing around 80,000 uncounted provisional, mail-in, or absentee ballots reported by counties across the state. The recount commenced on Monday and is scheduled to continue through November 26.
Despite the ongoing recount, Republican Party officials maintain that the election results have been decisive and assert that Casey has no viable path to victory through the recount process. They have also criticized Casey for not waiving the recount, which is anticipated to cost taxpayers over $1 million.
Pennsylvania Republican Party Chair Lawrence Tabas condemned the recount as 'absolute lawlessness,' emphasizing the party's stance against what they perceive as an attempt by Democrats to count illegal ballots to secure a senate seat.
In response to the recount, both national and state Republican parties have filed petitions with the state Supreme Court to challenge the counting of mail-in ballots with incorrect or missing dates in key counties such as Bucks County, Center County, and Delaware County.
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley accused Democrats of engaging in left-wing election interference and vowed to continue fighting through legal avenues to ensure McCormick's victory is officially certified. Whatley emphasized the importance of upholding voter confidence amidst the ongoing dispute.
The results of the recount are expected to be announced on November 27, marking a crucial milestone in the closely contested Pennsylvania Senate race.
