Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said they would not be allowed to attend this week's new senator orientation, but incoming senators Dave McCormick, a Republican from Pennsylvania, and Democrat Reuben McCormick of Arizona, Mr. Gallego was invited to the new senator orientation.
“Ruben Gallego and David McCormick have been invited to attend the orientation,” a spokesperson for Schumer told Fox News.
Mr. Schumer initially resisted inviting Mr. McCormick to the orientation, saying Mr. McCormick had not been declared the winner of the election. This was despite the fact that last Thursday, the Associated Press cast the race in favor of three-term Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey.
Gallego also had not received an invitation, but the Associated Press did not call the race against Republican Kari Lake until Monday night. This was the last Senate election to be called, with Republicans winning a 53-47 majority.
Republican senator offers 'personal escort' to McCormick Senate orientation after Schumerhold
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (New York) invited Dave McCormick and Ruben Gallego to attend the new senator orientation. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File)
Gallego will replace Kyrsten Sinema, who left the Democratic Party two years ago.
Casey has yet to concede in the Pennsylvania race. As of Tuesday morning, Mr. McCormick led Mr. Casey by 35,063 votes, according to Pennsylvania's election results website.
A spokesperson for Mr. Schumer previously told Fox News Digital that Mr. McCormick was not invited because at the time there were still “more than 100,000 votes left to be counted” in Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race. He insisted that the battle “has not yet been decided.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer initially did not invite Dave McCormick to his Senate orientation, despite the Associated Press calling the race. (Reuters)
Schumer won't allow Dave McCormick to attend Senate orientation due to strong PA vote count
On Monday, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) offered to “personally escort” McCormick to the Capitol for new senator orientation, and he and Sen. Eric Schmidt (R-Missouri) Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) agreed to join him, condemning Schumer's exclusion.
Democrat Ruben Gallego defeated Republican Kari Lake in the race to replace Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, The Associated Press called Monday night. (Getty Images)
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McCormick led by more than 30,000 votes when the Associated Press called the race Thursday at 4:09 p.m. At this point, an estimated 91,000 votes remained, but the Associated Press claimed there were not enough votes in Casey's areas to make up the difference.
FOX News' Julia Johnson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
