Schumer invites McCormick, Gallego to Senate orientation after initial snub

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has extended invitations to Senators-elect Dave McCormick, the Republican from Pennsylvania, and Ruben Gallego, the Democrat from Arizona, to attend the new-senator orientation this week. This comes after Schumer initially stated that they would not be allowed to participate in the orientation.

A spokesperson for Schumer confirmed to Fox News that both McCormick and Gallego have been invited to the orientation. This decision comes after the Associated Press called the race in favor of McCormick over three-term Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey last Thursday. Additionally, the AP declared Gallego the winner in his race against Republican Kari Lake on Monday night, solidifying the Republicans’ 53-47 majority in the Senate.

Gallego is set to replace Kyrsten Sinema, who left the Democratic Party two years ago. However, Casey has yet to concede in the Pennsylvania race. As of Tuesday morning, McCormick was leading Casey by 35,063 votes according to the Pennsylvania elections results website.

Initially, Schumer had resisted inviting McCormick to the orientation, citing the fact that there were still “over 100,000 ballots left to be counted” in the Pennsylvania Senate race. He claimed that the contest had not been decided at that time. However, with the AP’s declaration of McCormick as the winner, Schumer reversed his decision and extended an invitation to the Republican Senator-elect.

In response to Schumer’s initial exclusion of McCormick, Senator Mike Lee of Utah offered to “personally escort” McCormick into the Capitol for the orientation. Senators Eric Schmitt of Missouri and Katie Britt of Alabama also voiced their support for McCormick and criticized Schumer for the exclusion.

Despite the outstanding ballots at the time of the AP’s call, it was determined that there were not enough votes in areas supporting Casey for him to overcome McCormick’s lead. This led to the AP making the decision to call the race in favor of McCormick.

The inclusion of both McCormick and Gallego in the new-senator orientation signifies a step towards unity and cooperation in the Senate. As the new Senators-elect prepare to take on their roles in the Senate, they will have the opportunity to participate in the orientation alongside their colleagues.

Overall, Schumer’s decision to invite McCormick and Gallego to the orientation demonstrates a commitment to upholding the democratic process and ensuring that all duly elected Senators are given the opportunity to participate in the necessary preparations for their new roles in the Senate.