Senate Democratic Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer is inviting Sen.-elect David McCormick to an orientation session for new members, reversing his earlier refusal to invite the Republican while Pennsylvania finished counting votes from the Nov. 5 election.
Mr. Schumer, New York Democrat, couched the decision as a package deal with Sen.-elect Ruben Gallego, a Democrat who this week was declared the winner of his close Senate race in Arizona over Republican Kari Lake.
“Ruben Gallego and David McCormick have been invited to attend orientation,” a Schumer spokesperson said.
The invitation defuses a simmering controversy over the McCormick snub.
At one point, a group of GOP senators vowed to escort Mr. McCormick to the Senate orientation session in defiance of Democrats who said their incumbent, Sen. Bob Casey, had not conceded the close race.
“What happened to all the demands that our leaders accept the outcome of the elections?” Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida Republican, wrote on X.
Mr. McCormick and Mr. Casey are separated by fewer than 40,000 votes, raising talk of challenges or a recount.
The Associated Press called the Arizona and Pennsylvania races for Mr. Gallego and Mr. McCormick, however, making it difficult to ignore their right to visit Capitol Hill and get up to speed before the new Congress is seated in January.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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