GOP lawmaker threatens to block seat if Bob Casey refuses to concede Senate race over illegal ballots | 17 Nov 2024 | Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah., took aim at Sen. Bob Casey over the Pennsylvania Democrat's refusal to concede the election, arguing that the Senate could refuse to seat him if he continues to rely on "illegal votes." "If Bob Casey doesn’t concede, Pennsylvania keeps counting illegal votes, & Casey relies on those votes to claim victory, the Senate could refuse to seat him," Lee said in a post on X Saturday while citing Article I, Sec. 5, Cl. 1, which states that each "House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns, and Qualifications of its own Members." The comment comes as Pennsylvania’s Senate race will be decided by a recount after Republican Sen.-elect Dave McCormick won the election by roughly 26,000 votes, or within the one percentage point margin that triggers an automatic recount under Pennsylvania law.