Recount triggered in Pennsylvania Senate election

Nov. 13 (UPI) -- A small margin in votes separating incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Casey from Republican challenger David McCormick Jr. has triggered a recount in the Pennsylvania Senate race, the commonwealth's secretary said Wednesday.

Unofficial results on Wednesday show that McCormick had some 3.380 million votes for 48.9% of ballots cast in Nov. 5's general election to Casey's 3.350 million votes, or 48.5%.

The 29,338 votes that separate the candidates falls under the 0.5 percent margin that triggers a recount under state law, Commonwealth Secretary Al Schmidt said in a statement.

Schmidt said all 67 counties must begin the recount no later than Nov. 20. The recount must be completed by noon Nov. 26 and the results must be reported to him by noon the next day.

Neither candidate has commented on the development, though McCormick has claimed victory in the race and was in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday for Senate orientation. Casey has yet to concede.

On X, McCormick posted a picture of himself by an office bearing his name and the title "Senator-elect."

"New office!" he wrote in the caption to the post.

The Republicans regained control of the Senate in the general election while maintaining the House, giving President-elect Donald Trump a supermajority when he enters the White House in January.