The unofficial results in the race for the U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania have triggered a legally required statewide recount, Commonwealth Secretary Al Schmidt said Wednesday.
DecisionDesk HQ and Newsmax have yet to call the race between Republican Dave McCormick and Democrat incumbent Sen. Bob Casey, although The Associated Press declared McCormick the winner Nov. 7.
As of 5:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, DecisionDesk HQ had McCormick ahead by four-tenths of a percentage point (48.9%-48.5%), a difference of 28,110 votes among more than 6.7 million cast.
Because the vote totals are within one-half of 1 percentage point, a mandatory recount is triggered under state law, Schmidt said in a statement.
Once counties finish counting their ballots, they must begin the recount no later than Nov. 20, WPVI-TV in Philadelphia reported Wednesday. The recount must be completed by noon on Nov. 26 and the results must be reported to Schmidt by noon Nov. 27. Results of the recount will not be published until Nov. 27.
Republicans will maintain the Senate majority in the next Congress regardless of who wins, but McCormick's victory would give them a 53-47 edge.
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