The Pennsylvania Senate race ended in a firestorm of controversy. Republican Dave McCormick emerged victorious on election night, but Democrat Bob Casey wasn’t ready to let go.
Instead of conceding, Casey dug in his heels, launching a recount and alleging more than 100,000 votes were still in play. What followed was a circus that nearly shattered voters’ faith in the system.
Things went from bad to worse when officials in Bucks County tried to count illegal ballots to tip the scales in Casey’s favor. Yes, you read that right—illegal ballots. This blatant disregard for the law didn’t just raise eyebrows.
It forced Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court and even the governor to step in and slam the brakes on the debacle. It was a textbook example of how little some Democrats respect the rules of democracy.
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey conceded his contested race on Thursday as the recount he ordered continued. He said in a video that he had called Dave McCormick to congratulate him on his win of the seat. Casey has served in Pennsylvania since 2007. The race had already been called for McCormick by major news organizations. This gives Republicans 53 Senate seats to the Democrats’ 47…
Casey had previously refused to concede. With 98 percent of the vote counted, McCormick had received 49 percent of the vote to Casey’s 48.5 percent. [Source: The Post Millennial]
After weeks of drama, Casey finally threw in the towel. On Thursday, he announced his concession via video, admitting he’d called McCormick to congratulate him.
This belated olive branch came after major news outlets had already called the race. McCormick’s win pushed Republicans to a solid 53-seat majority in the Senate, leaving Democrats with 47 seats—and apparently, 47 reasons to cling to hope.
Casey didn’t miss a chance to pat himself on the back. He praised the recount, claiming it reassured Pennsylvanians about the integrity of the process.
“Proud” of the effort to cure ballots and recount votes, he said. Translation: Thanks for letting me drag this out long enough to make everyone hate elections.
It’s worth noting that Casey refused to concede even when McCormick led with 98 percent of the vote counted.
Casey clung to a razor-thin margin, arguing that “more than 100,000 votes still needed to be counted.” What Casey called dedication looked a lot like desperation to most observers.
Here’s where things got truly outrageous. Election officials in Bucks County defied a Supreme Court ruling to exclude ineligible ballots. Let that sink in. A county openly ignored the law in an attempt to swing the race.
McCormick and voters weren’t having it and took the fight to court. The state Supreme Court and the governor had to intervene, condemning the rogue county’s actions.
This debacle wasn’t just about Pennsylvania—it’s about trust. How can voters believe in fair elections when one party plays dirty?
Actions like these fuel doubts about election integrity, a dangerous game in a country that prides itself on democracy.
Author: Bo Dogan
