Schumer invites McCormick, Gallego to Senate orientation

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has invited Pennsylvania Republican David McCormick and Arizona Sen.-elect Ruben Gallego (D) to the Senate orientation this week after initially not extending an invitation to either man due to uncounted ballots in both races.  

Schumer’s decision to exclude McCormick was contentious, as the Associated Press had declared him the winner in the Pennsylvania Senate race days ago. Republican strategists argued that Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) had no viable path to erasing his opponent's 35,000-vote advantage.

Casey hasn’t conceded the race, but Schumer on Tuesday nevertheless extended an invitation to McCormick after getting pressure from colleagues.

“Ruben Gallego and David McCormick have been invited to attend orientation,” a spokesperson for Schumer told reporters.

Schumer’s office made the announcement after the AP declared Gallego the winner in Arizona. That followed a call by The Hill’s Decision Desk HQ Saturday projecting Gallego the winner over Republican Kari Lake. DDHQ has not yet made a call in the Pennsylvania Senate race.

Schumer had come under growing pressure since Sunday to invite both McCormick and Gallego to the orientation.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) noted in a post on X that she attended her Senate orientation in 2018 even though her race wasn’t called for nearly a week.

“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,” she posted.

Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine), two key Senate Republican moderates, also urged Schumer to include McCormick and Gallego in the orientation.

“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,” Murkowski posted on X.

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