The Republican Party strongly criticized Pennsylvania Democrats on Monday, condemning their refusal to concede the Senate race after Republican David McCormick was declared the winner by The Associated Press. GOP leaders claim the recount effort, spearheaded by Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, violates state laws and wastes taxpayer dollars.
The tight race concluded with McCormick holding an unofficial lead of approximately 26,000 votes, narrowly meeting the state’s 0.5% threshold for an automatic recount. Despite the slim margin, Republicans argue the result is decisive and that Casey has no viable path to overturning the outcome.
A Contentious Recount Effort
Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt announced the recount last week, citing 80,000 uncounted provisional, mail-in, or absentee ballots across the state. The recount began Monday and will continue through November 26, potentially costing taxpayers over $1 million.
“What’s taking place in these counties is absolute lawlessness,” said Pennsylvania Republican Party Chair Lawrence Tabas.
Echoing widespread Republican frustration over the recount process.
Legal Challenges Amid Allegations
Republican leaders are not just opposing the recount on procedural grounds—they’re actively challenging specific ballots. Both the state and national GOP have filed lawsuits to block mail-in ballots with missing or incorrect dates from being counted in key counties, including Bucks, Center, and Delaware counties.
“Let’s be clear about what’s happening here: Democrats in Pennsylvania are brazenly trying to break the law by attempting to count illegal ballots. They are doing this because they want to steal a senate seat,” Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley wrote in a fiery post on X.
Whatley also emphasized the party’s commitment to ensuring McCormick’s victory is officially certified, promising to “fight for as long as necessary” to uphold election integrity.
Undermining Voter Confidence
The GOP has framed the recount as a broader issue of election integrity, arguing that Democratic actions erode public trust. “This is the exact kind of left-wing election interference that undermines voter confidence,” Whatley added.
As the recount proceeds, the stakes remain high for both parties. Republicans are determined to solidify McCormick’s victory, while Democrats continue to push forward, despite mounting criticism.
