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Bob Casey concedes PA Senate race to Dace McCormick
Pennsylvania Democratic Senator Bob Casey has conceded his race to Republican Dave McCormick.
PHILADELPHIA - Pennsylvania Democratic Senator Bob Casey has conceded his race to Republican Dave McCormick.
Senator Casey released a statement Thursday saying that he called McCormick to congratulate him on his election to the US senate seat.
Casey's announcement comes as the first recount of ballots officially wrapped up Thursday afternoon.
Read Casey’s full statement below:
"I just called Dave McCormick to congratulate him on his election to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Senate. As the first count of ballots is completed, Pennsylvanians can move forward with the knowledge that their voices were heard, whether their vote was the first to be counted or the last.
"This race was one of the closest in our Commonwealth’s history, decided by less than a quarter of a point. I am grateful to the thousands of people who worked to make sure every eligible vote cast could be counted, including election officials in all 67 counties.
"When a Pennsylvanian takes the time to cast a legal vote, often waiting in long lines and taking time away from their work and family, they deserve to know that their vote will count. That’s democracy.
"I’m proud of the work we’ve done since Election Day to enfranchise voters across the state — no matter whom they voted for — and to ensure that the democratic process could unfold. In just a few days, we built an organization of 350 staff across the state, joined by more than a thousand volunteers, who helped more than 6,000 Pennsylvania voters make a plan to fix small issues with their ballot so their vote would be counted.
"From the 100-year-old woman in Butler County, who voted in every election since she was eligible, to the 19 year old in Montgomery County who cast her ballot for the very first time, we made sure those voices were heard.
"And we stood up against efforts to silence and disenfranchise voters in every corner of the Commonwealth. Thanks to our work in the courts, nearly a thousand eligible voters in Philadelphia will have their votes counted, despite efforts to throw them out.
"This work mattered. And I am grateful to the many people who helped with this effort. As you know, no public official serves alone, and I have been blessed by the love and support of my wife, Terese, and our daughters, Elyse, Caroline, Julia, and Marena, all these years.
"I especially want to thank my campaign manager, Tiernan Donohue, our campaign staff, and our supporters for all the work they did to help my 2024 campaign, and all those who have worked on and supported my previous campaigns over the years.
"I also want to thank my current Senate staff, led by my Chief of Staff, Kristen Gentile, for their exemplary public service to the people of our Commonwealth, and all the previous staff who served with me dating back to 2007. But most of all, I want to thank the people of Pennsylvania for granting me the privilege of serving them for 28 consecutive years in public office, as Auditor General, State Treasurer, and United States Senator.
"Every day I have served in public office, I’ve fought for Pennsylvania workers, children, seniors, people with disabilities, and our veterans. During that time, I’ve been guided by an inscription on the Finance Building in Harrisburg: ‘All public service is a trust, given in faith and accepted in honor.’
"Thank you for the trust you have placed in me for all these years. It has been the honor of my lifetime."
Senator-Elect Dave McCormick thanked Senator Bob Casey for his years of service to the commonwealth after the two spoke on the phone, and he released the following statement:
"Senator Bob Casey dedicated his career to bettering our commonwealth. Dina and I want to extend our sincere gratitude to Senator Casey, Terese, and their family for their decades of service, hard work, and personal sacrifice. I am so honored to represent every single citizen in Pennsylvania in the United States Senate and will fight for you every day. Thank you!"
The Associated Press called the race for McCormick on Nov. 7, concluding that not enough ballots remained to be counted in areas Casey was winning for him to take the lead.
Dave McCormick wins US Senate Race in Pennsylvania: AP
David McCormick has been elected to the U.S. Senate after winning a pivotal race in swing-state Pennsylvania, according to the Associated Press.
As of Thursday, McCormick led by about 16,000 votes out of almost 7 million ballots counted.
That was well within the 0.5% margin threshold to trigger an automatic statewide recount under Pennsylvania law.
But no election official expected a recount to change more than a couple hundred votes or so, and Pennsylvania's highest court dealt him a blow when it refused entreaties to allow counties to count mail-in ballots that lacked a correct handwritten date on the return envelope.
Republicans will have a 53-47 majority next year in the U.S. Senate.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.