Schumer Says No Senate Orientation for McCormick Until Race Decided

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington on Sept. 19, 2024. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Dave McCormick is not being allowed to attend an orientation for new U.S. senators despite that news outlets have called the Pennsylvania Senate race in his favor, the top Democrat in the upper chamber says.

“With over 100,000 ballots left to be counted in Pennsylvania, the race has not been decided,” a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told news outlets on Nov. 10.

“As is custom, we will invite the winner once the votes are counted.”

The race between McCormick, a Republican businessman, and Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) was called on Nov. 7 by The Associated Press and some other outlets.

Casey has held off conceding, as Pennsylvania officials have said that they are still processing thousands of ballots.

“I’m committed to ensuring that Pennsylvanians’ voices are heard,” Casey said on social media platform X on Nov. 10.

McCormick has said he’s honored to represent Pennsylvania in the Senate. He has not appeared to comment about being blocked from the Senate orientation.

Top Republicans in the upper chamber decried Schumer’s move.

“Dave McCormick is the new senator for Pennsylvania. The idea that Schumer would not allow him to participate in Senate orientation is beyond unacceptable,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), who is vying to become the new Senate majority leader, said on X.

“The voters of Pennsylvania have spoken. Looking forward to having Dave’s strong voice in the Senate Republican Conference.”

“They did the same thing to me after I beat a Democrat in 2018. We have to fight this!” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), another contender for the top Republican position, said in a post.

As of Nov. 11, McCormick has 3.37 million votes to Casey’s 3.33 million. The margin is 0.6 percentage points. If it ends up being 0.5 points or slimmer, an automatic recount will happen.

Casey, 64, has been a U.S. senator representing Pennsylvania since 2007. McCormick, 59, a military veteran and former Bridgewater Associates official, joined the 2024 race after losing in the Republican primary for Pennsylvania’s other Senate seat in 2022.

Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) has also not yet been invited to the orientation, Schumer’s office said. Gallego, 44, has represented Arizona’s Third Congressional District since 2015. As of Nov. 11, he was beating former television broadcaster Kari Lake, a Republican, by 2.2 percent.

The two major parties agree that new senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), and Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) have won.

Republicans are projected to have at least 53 seats in the Senate in the new Congress after spending two years in the minority.