(Headline USA) Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is refusing to allow Sen.-elect Dave McCormick, R-Pa., to attend Senate orientation this week despite the race having been called in his favor.
Schumer is withholding his invitation to McCormick because he does not believe McCormick’s race against ousted Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., is over, Schumer’s office said.
The New York Democrat also claimed Casey must concede the race first, which he has not done.
“With over 100,000 ballots left to be counted in Pennsylvania, the race has not been decided,” a spokesperson for Schumer said. “As is custom, we will invite the winner once the votes are counted.”
Republicans blasted Schumer and the other Senate Democrats for denying the results of the Pennsylvania Senate race.
“What happened to all the demands that our leaders accept the outcome of the elections?” Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., wrote on X.
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
Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., one of the Republicans in the running to take over as Senate Majority Leader next year, blasted Schumer’s politicking as “beyond unacceptable.”
Thune added, “The voters of Pennsylvania have spoken. Looking forward to having Dave’s strong voice in the Senate Republican Conference.”
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, even offered to “personally escort” McCormick to the orientation and invited his Republican colleagues to join him.
“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’,” Lee said on Sunday, adding, “I’d welcome other senators to join us!”
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
Casey has also refused to accept the outcome of the election, saying he will not concede until every vote is counted.
I have dedicated my life to making sure Pennsylvanians’ voices are heard, whether on the floor of the Senate or in a free and fair election. It has been made clear there are more than 100,000 votes still to be counted. Pennsylvania is where our democratic process was born. We…
— Bob Casey Jr. (@Bob_Casey) November 8, 2024
“I have dedicated my life to making sure Pennsylvanians’ voices are heard, whether on the floor of the Senate or in a free and fair election,” Casey wrote on X on Thursday. “We must allow that process to play out and ensure that every vote that is eligible to be counted will be counted.”
