Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) is challenging Senator Bob Casey (D-Penn.) over his refusal to concede the closely contested Pennsylvania Senate race. Lee, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), warned that if Casey continues to rely on ballots that may not meet legal requirements, the U.S. Senate could potentially refuse to seat him. Citing Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution, which gives each chamber the authority to judge the qualifications of its members, Lee emphasized that a candidate’s reliance on illegal votes could disqualify them from taking office.
The race, which saw Republican candidate Dave McCormick lead by approximately 26,000 votes—narrowly within the threshold that mandates a recount—has been plagued by controversy. Despite multiple media outlets declaring McCormick the apparent winner, Casey has stubbornly refused to concede, insisting that all votes be counted before a winner is finalized.
The heart of the dispute centers on the legality of some of the ballots. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that ballots without proper signatures or dates should not be counted, but election officials in Democratic-controlled areas such as Philadelphia and Bucks County are reportedly ignoring the court’s decision and pushing to include those invalid votes.
Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia, a Democrat, acknowledged that some laws are being violated in the hopes of influencing the outcome. “People violate laws anytime they want,” she said, suggesting that legal violations should be overlooked if they help ensure every vote is counted.
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley has sharply criticized the actions of Pennsylvania Democrats, accusing them of trying to “steal” the election by including illegal ballots. He said, “Democrats are breaking the law to tilt the election in their favor and steal a Senate seat.”
In response, Senator Lee has called on Bob Casey to do the right thing and concede the race. “Bob Casey, you’re better than this,” Lee stated. “It’s time to accept the results and let McCormick take his seat.”