Pennsylvania Ends U.S. Senate Race Recount After Casey Concedes to McCormick
In a significant development for Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race, the Pennsylvania Department of State has called off the recount following incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Casey’s concession to Republican nominee Dave McCormick. The department informed county election officials via email that Casey requested the recount to be halted, leading to the decision being communicated by Jonathan Marks, Pennsylvania’s deputy secretary of state.
McCormick emerged victorious, securing a win by over 16,000 votes—a margin of 0.24%. Research indicates that such a narrow margin is highly unlikely to be overturned by a recount. State laws mandate an automatic recount for statewide races with margins within 0.5%, although the trailing candidate may waive this requirement. Secretary of State Al Schmidt had announced the recount on November 13, slated for completion next week.
Despite facing pressure to concede since Election Day, Casey’s eventual acknowledgment of McCormick’s victory came after counties concluded their tallies. His hesitance had sparked criticism, particularly regarding potential financial burdens on taxpayers linked to the recount process. Notably, McCormick also chose not to waive a recount in the 2022 election, as highlighted by Governor Josh Shapiro earlier this week.
As counties had already completed much of the recount work by Thursday, it remains uncertain what specific cost savings will stem from this cancellation. The Department of State had previously estimated the recount’s financial implications to exceed $1 million. Queries regarding whether existing recount results would influence the final election certification remain unanswered.
This collaborative reporting is made possible by Spotlight PA and Votebeat, both committed to nonpartisan election coverage.
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