Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and his Republican opponent David McCormick are the sole candidates approved to be listed on the Pennsylvania Senate ballot following a decision by the state’s highest court on Friday.
The decision excludes several other contenders from being featured on the ballot and marks a successful challenge against allowing relatively lesser-known candidates to appear on the primary ballot next month. The decision was reported by The Associated Press.
The ruling almost ensures victories for Casey and McCormick in the April 23 primary.
Casey, the incumbent who has held his Senate seat since 2007, was leading McCormick in the polls earlier this year by a comfortable margin. Casey has an edge in name recognition, with 30 percent of respondents in a survey stating they were unfamiliar with McCormick. McCormick, a former hedge fund CEO, previously vied for a Senate seat in 2022 but lost the Republican nomination to Dr. Mehmet Oz.
The race between the two is expected to be one of the most costly and closely-watched races this year, as Democrats strive to uphold their majority in the Senate, as per the AP.
Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state, will play a role in determining whether Democrats maintain control of the Senate and reelect President Biden.
Joe Vodvarka, a Republican candidate, was removed from the ballot after a lower court in the state determined that he did not possess enough voter signatures to qualify. The state Supreme Court rejected Vodvarka’s appeal.
Earlier this month, challenges to the paperwork of two other candidates who sought to be on the primary ballot were granted by the courts, resulting in Brandi Tomasetti, a Republican, and William Parker, a Democrat, being instructed to withdraw from the ballot, as per the AP. According to The Hill/Decision Desk HQ, Casey is leading McCormick in a poll conducted on March 13, with 44.8 percent of support for Casey and 41 percent for his opponent. Approximately 14 percent of respondents are undecided.
Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and his Republican challenger David McCormick are the only candidates approved to be listed on the Pennsylvania Senate ballot following a decision by the state’s highest court on Friday. The decision excludes several other contenders from being featured on the ballot and marks a successful challenge against allowing relatively lesser-known candidates to appear on the primary ballot…
According to The Hill/Decision Desk HQ, Casey leads McCormick in a March 13 poll. Casey has 44.8 percent support, while his challenger has 41 percent. About 14 percent of respondents are undecided.
