Marco Rubio and other Republican leaders have angrily accused the embattled Democratic Party in the U.S. Senate of failing to honor election results.
They say GOP Sen.-elect Dave McCormick (R-PA) is being snubbed by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who has refused to invite McCormick to an orientation at the upper chamber of Congress this week because he doesn’t accept the race is over.
McCormick was ahead of Democratic incumbent Bob Casey by 39,000 votes on Sunday and the Associated Press projection last Thursday gave the Republican the win. Casey has yet to concede.
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But a spokesperson for Schumer insisted in a statement to Politico: “With over 100,000 ballots left to be counted in Pennsylvania, the race has not been decided. As is custom, we will invite the winner once the votes are counted.”
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) responded in a social media post that has attracted more than 2 million views. “Schumer is not allowing @DaveMcCormickPA to participate in Senate orientation this week because Casey refuses to concede the race,” he wrote. “What happened to all the demands that our leaders accept the outcome of the elections?”
He was referring to the 2024 presidential election campaign when Democrats warned Donald Trump would contest the result if he lost.
McCormick also won support from the three senators vying to become the chamber’s next Republican majority leader.
Florida Sen. Rick Scott said Schumer’s snub was “disgusting” and added: “They did the same thing to me after I beat a Democrat in 2018. We have to fight this!”
“The idea that Schumer would not allow him to participate in Senate orientation is beyond unacceptable,” Sen. John Thune, from South Dakota, posted on X. “The voters of Pennsylvania have spoken. Looking forward to having Dave’s strong voice in the Senate Republican Conference.”
Texas Sen. John Cornyn said it was time for Casey “to do the right thing.”
McCormick said there was no way mathematically for his opponent to claw back victory.
Senate orientation is a traditional meeting for newly elected members who are set to take office in January to be shown around and get comfortable in their new jobs.
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