Schumer criticized for not inviting McCormick to Senate orientation

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is coming under fire for not extending an invitation to Republican David McCormick to attend the Senate’s new members’ orientation this week.

McCormick is leading Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) in the race for the Senate, and The Associated Press has declared McCormick the winner, though major networks and Decision Desk HQ, The Hill's forecasting partner, have not.

Longtime Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.), who became an independent two years ago, said Schumer should invite both McCormick and Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.).

Decision Desk HQ has projected Gallego to be the winner in the Arizona Senate race. The AP has yet to call that race.

“In 2018 my race wasn’t called for 6 days. I jumped on a redeye to DC to make Senate orientation — I learned so much & made lasting relationships that week. Dave McCormick & Ruben Gallego will be senators for PA & AZ. They should be invited to orientation & start learning the job,” Sinema posted on X.

Alex Nguyen, a spokesperson for Schumer, said the Pennsylvania Senate race has yet to be decided.

“With over 100,000 ballots left to be counted in Pennsylvania, the race has not been decided. As is custom, we will invite the winner once the votes are counted,” the aide said.

Senate Republican strategists allied with McCormick campaign argue there is not a viable path for Casey to find enough uncounted ballots to overtake McCormick's 39,000-vote lead in the race. 

Then-Senate candidate Al Franken (D) was not invited to the 2008 Senate orientation, as he had yet to be immediately declared the winner of that year’s Minnesota Senate race.

Franken was finally declared the winner over Republican Sen. Norm Coleman (Minn.) after an eight-month legal battle.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a key swing Senate vote, said she looks forward to “welcoming” McCormick to the Senate.

“I want to congratulate Senator-elect Dave McCormick, who the AP has declared the winner of the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania. Looking forward to welcoming him to the Senate,” she posted on the social platform X.

Sen. Susan Collins (Maine), another influential Senate Republican moderate, put pressure on Schumer to invite McCormick to the new members’ orientation.

“Congratulations to Senator-elect Dave McCormick from Pennsylvania. I look forward to welcoming him to the new member orientation in Washington this week,” Collins posted on X.