The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has dismissed efforts by GOP Senate candidate David McCormick to count undated ballots in the state’s Senate primary.
The move ends McCormick’s options to dispute Dr. Mehmet Oz’s narrow victory as the Republican Senate candidate.
— Cynka (@cynkading) June 12, 2022
End of the road
“On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block a lower court decision that allowed the counting of undated ballots in a 2021 Pennsylvania judicial election,” the Washington Examiner reported.
“David Ritter, a Republican state judicial candidate in Lehigh County, pointed to an obscure law to argue that the undated ballots should not be counted in his race, and Oz filed a ‘friend of the court’ brief supporting Ritter’s claims,” it added.
NEW: Pennsylvania Supreme Court dismisses GOP appeal in undated ballot case. Importantly, the court DENIES Republican motion to vacate the lower court decision.https://t.co/QXYcHcon1X pic.twitter.com/y0w3h5XUIr
— Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) June 11, 2022
Too close to call
The issue emerged after the final count in the Pennsylvania Senate primary showed Oz winning by less than 1,000 votes.
McCormick conceded the race on June 3, but had continued to pursue the option to count the additional ballots.
Some have complained that the move made for a convenient attempt for the GOP in a contrast with the 2020 election when the same state party opposed efforts to count undated ballots.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, the celebrity heart surgeon endorsed by former President Donald Trump, won Pennsylvania’s Republican U.S. Senate primary on Wednesday, narrowly defeating former hedge fund CEO David McCormick after a dayslong recount. https://t.co/09XPN4TuC6
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 8, 2022
Controversy
Oz’s unconventional run has also experienced controversy. He has only recently established residency in the state.
In addition, Oz has questionable conservative views that seem to contrast his past views on a number of issues, ranging from vaccines to transgender issues. The primary win may be settled, but the general election will continue to be a challenge as Oz seeks to win another seat for the GOP in the Senate in November.