We still don’t have a winner in the Pennsylvania GOP primary race for the U.S. Senate between Trump-endorsed Dr. Mehmet Oz and David McCormick:
The details of how PA is counting ballots in the ‘dental floss thin’ Oz v McCormick race are an education in how carefully election officials seek to track and verify every vote – and a refutation of the bogus Trump claims of wide fraud in 2020. https://t.co/gj07QDmFoH
— Trip Gabriel (@tripgabriel) May 24, 2022
Dr. Oz is up, but his tiny lead has been shrinking as the last ballots get counted:
PA Republican Senate Update:
Mehmet Oz 418,653 (31.15%)
David McCormick 417,643 (31.08%)
Kathy Barnette 330,754 (24.61%)McCormick reduces Oz's lead by 60 votes since last update
Race within recount rangehttps://t.co/h9iDUG2atc
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) May 23, 2022
At issue right now is an unknown number of mail-in ballots that were reportedly received on time to count but are missing a handwritten date on the outside of the envelope. The McCormick campaign has filed suit to count these ballots:
NEWS: @DaveMcCormickPA has filed a lawsuit in Pennsylvania court to compel counting of GOP mail-in ballots submitted ON TIME but w/out a handwritten date on the outside envelope, in a bid to close #PASEN gap w/ @DrOz. https://t.co/amDuVrXUaa @dcexaminer
— David M. Drucker (@DavidMDrucker) May 23, 2022
More on what’s going on from Steve Kornacki:
PA update: With a few hundred more mail ballots counted today, Oz's lead over McCormick in the GOp Senate primary is now 977 votes (0.1%). What we think is left…
— Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) May 23, 2022
* Per the PA Dept of State, up to 5,400 mail-in ballots, but "it is likely that the estimates include rejected ballots that have not yet been recorded"
* Appx. 200 military/overseas ballots to be counted Wed.
* Appx. 800 provisionals, which so far have split 154-154 Oz/McCormick— Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) May 23, 2022
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This continues to leave us well within automatic recount range. The biggest remaining variable may be potential litigation involving whether to count mail-in ballots that were signed but not dated. That could expand the mail pool by a small but possibly crucial amount.
— Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) May 23, 2022
According to Kornacki, “the state hasn’t issue[d] guidance to counties on how to handle these ballots”:
And here, per @DavidMDrucker, is the McCormick campaign filing suit to count the mail-ins that aren't dated. As of now, the state hasn't issues guidance to counties on how to handle these ballots: https://t.co/dW4i7nxPbI
— Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) May 23, 2022
The state GOP, however, is taking sides and telling McCormick these ballots should not count:
“While the Republican Party of Pennsylvania looks forward to supporting the Pennsylvania
Republican U.S. Senate nominee, whoever it may be, we absolutely object to the counting of
undated mail-in ballots. Pennsylvania law and our courts have been very clear that
undated ballots are not to be counted. We have worked hard towards restoring confidence in
our elections, and we call upon everyone to respect, uphold and follow the clear law on this
issue.”
— PA GOP (@PAGOP) May 24, 2022
And the NYT’s Maggie Haberman reported late last night that the RNC is picking sides against McCormick as well:
NEWS: The RNC and PAGOP are intervening against McCormick in his suit over undated ballots, per GOP sources.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) May 24, 2022
From the RNC: “The RNC is intervening in this lawsuit alongside the Pennsylvania GOP because election laws are meant to be followed, and changing the rules when ballots are already being counted harms the integrity of our elections…”
In a statement, RNC spokeswoman says: "The RNC is intervening in this lawsuit alongside the Pennsylvania GOP because election laws are meant to be followed, and changing the rules when ballots are already being counted harms the integrity of our elections…”
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) May 24, 2022
And: “…Either of Pennsylvania’s leading Republican Senate candidates would represent the Keystone State better than a Democrat, but Pennsylvania law is clear that undated absentee ballots may not be counted…”
“…Either of Pennsylvania’s leading Republican Senate candidates would represent the Keystone State better than a Democrat, but Pennsylvania law is clear that undated absentee ballots may not be counted…”
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) May 24, 2022
And: “…This is another example of the RNC’s ironclad commitment to ensuring that the highest standards of transparency and security are upheld throughout the election process.”
“…This is another example of the RNC’s ironclad commitment to ensuring that the highest standards of transparency and security are upheld throughout the election process.”
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) May 24, 2022
We’ll keep you posted. We may learn more today:
For context, McCormick camp lawyer has pointed out that PA Supreme Court and a federal court have ruled that having the date written on the ballots is meaningless because they’re stamped. Intervention is likely to come same day Trump is facing big losses of his candidates in GA
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) May 24, 2022
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