In a stunning upset in Pennsylvania’s pivotal Senate race, Republican Dave McCormick unseated three-term Democratic incumbent Bob Casey, signaling a seismic shift in one of America’s most critical battleground states. McCormick’s win, sealed by a margin of 16,000 votes (0.2 percentage points), came despite polling and pundits predicting Casey’s edge for much of the campaign.
Casey, grasping at statesmanlike grace, conceded defeat in a video posted to X, saying, “During my time in office, I have been guided by an inscription on the Finance Building in Harrisburg: ‘All public service is a trust, given in faith and accepted in honor.’ Thank you for your trust in me for all these years, Pennsylvania. It has been the honor of my lifetime.”
During my time in office, I have been guided by an inscription on the Finance Building in Harrisburg: “All public service is a trust, given in faith and accepted in honor.”
Thank you for your trust in me for all these years, Pennsylvania. It has been the honor of my lifetime. pic.twitter.com/RSXEFwdge8
— Bob Casey Jr. (@Bob_Casey) November 21, 2024
That’s touching, but maybe Casey should have focused less on inscriptions and more on the Biden administration’s catastrophic policies, which Republicans tied around his neck like a millstone.
McCormick, a West Point graduate and former CEO of Bridgewater Associates, flipped the script on Casey, hammering him on border security and Biden-era failures. McCormick’s closing argument framed Casey as a weak, do-nothing incumbent, contrasting it with his own leadership pedigree and decisive vision for Pennsylvania.
The GOP sunk millions into the state, making immigration the centerpiece of their campaign strategy. It worked. Voters rejected Casey’s allegiance to Biden’s open-border policies, opting for McCormick’s tougher stance on security and economic stability.
And while McCormick lacked Trump’s 2022 endorsement, he became a fixture at Trump’s rallies this cycle, aligning himself with the MAGA base. That alignment didn’t just bolster his campaign but also cemented Pennsylvania’s shift back toward red after its 2020 detour into blue chaos. Trump’s presidential victory over Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket only added to the GOP momentum in the Keystone State.
Dave McCormick’s win sends a clear message: Americans are fed up with the incompetence and excuses of the Democratic Party. Pennsylvania voters chose strength over stagnation, results over rhetoric. This victory isn’t just a win for McCormick; it’s a repudiation of Biden’s failed policies and a warning to Democrats nationwide. Maybe instead of worrying about “climate equity,” they should try fixing the border. But that might make too much sense, which explains why Democrats never try it.
