Trump-backed McCormick defeats Casey in Pennsylvania Senate race
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David McCormick, the GOP candidate endorsed by President-elect Trump, defeated incumbent Sen. Bob Casey (D) in Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race on Thursday, AP projected.
Why it matters: McCormick's victory is another win for Senate Republicans, who already retook the chamber, as the party ousted other incumbents in states including Ohio and Montana.
- Under Pennsylvania law, a margin of victory within .5% triggers an automatic recount.
Catch up quick: This was McCormick's second time running for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania. The former hedge fund CEO lost in the 2022 primary to Trump-backed candidate Mehmet Oz, who was later defeated by Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.)
- Casey — who recovered from cancer last year and has even boasted about his ties to Trump in a bid to cast himself as a moderate — has been a Pennsylvania senator since 2007 and was seeking his fourth term.
By the numbers: The contest between McCormick and Casey has been one of the most expensive Senate races of 2024, with more than $300 million in ad spend and reservations this year alone, per AdImpact data released in September.
Zoom out: McCormick focused his campaign on tamping down inflation and staking out tough positions on immigration and trade with China. He was notably on stage with Trump during the attempted assassination of the former president in July in Butler, Pennsylvania.
- Casey zeroed in on corporate price gouging and advocated for a fairer tax system, including by reversing tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy.
Go deeper: What to know about Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race
