Republican Sues Over Election Issues

David McCormick, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania, is taking strong action in response to the close race with incumbent Democrat Sen. Bob Casey. McCormick has filed two lawsuits challenging the handling of provisional ballots in Philadelphia, signaling his intent to pursue a legal battle all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.

Although The Associated Press declared McCormick the winner on Thursday, with a narrow lead over Casey, Decision Desk HQ has yet to officially call the race. With the margin still very tight, McCormick’s legal team is closely scrutinizing the provisional ballots—estimated to be between 15,000 and 20,000 in Philadelphia alone—raising concerns that some may not meet the necessary legal standards to be counted.

McCormick is asking the court for permission to challenge groups of ballots at once, rather than having to contest each ballot individually. His campaign has also requested that provisional ballots only be adjudicated in the presence of a Republican Party representative to ensure transparency and fairness. McCormick’s team expressed concern that without this oversight, the large volume of ballots could lead to errors or inconsistencies in the process, potentially compromising the integrity of the election.

The Pennsylvania Senate race remains extremely close, with McCormick holding a 0.5 percentage point lead—just above the threshold for an automatic recount. Despite McCormick’s narrow edge, Casey’s campaign has not yet conceded, pointing to the provisional ballots still being counted, particularly in Philadelphia and its suburbs, which tend to favor Democrats.

The issue of provisional ballots has been contentious in Pennsylvania, with previous litigation over mail-in ballots already setting the stage for further legal challenges. The state’s top court ruled that voters with defective mail ballots should be allowed to cast provisional ballots instead. Republicans argue this is an overreach by the state court, contending that the legislature, not the judiciary, should set the rules for elections.

McCormick’s lawsuits underscore the growing tension over election integrity and the role of the courts in shaping election law. His team has asked that the challenged ballots be set aside until the Supreme Court weighs in on the legal issues at play. With over 100,000 ballots still uncounted, including provisional, military, and overseas votes, McCormick’s campaign is determined to ensure that every legal vote is counted fairly.

As the final votes are tallied, McCormick’s legal actions highlight the importance of ensuring that elections are free from irregularities and that all ballots are properly validated in accordance with state and federal law. This battle over provisional ballots could have significant implications not only for the Senate race but for the future of Pennsylvania’s election laws.