Harrisburg— The state's top court ruled Friday that only Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and Republican David McCormick will be on the April primary ballot.
The verdict ended the third of three successful legal challenges to three relatively unknown candidates' paperwork, all but guaranteed Casey and McCormick uncontested victories in their party primaries on April 23.
Democrats must protect incumbents in Republican states and multiple swing states in the 2024 Senate map, making the November race between Casey and McCormick one of the most expensive and keenly watched.
Casey is seeking a fourth term against McCormick, a state Republican Party-endorsed former hedge fund CEO who nearly lost the 2022 GOP primary to Dr. Mehmet Oz.
The presidential battleground state of Pennsylvania will determine if Democrats can preserve control of the White House and Senate. A Casey loss would likely assure Republican control of a Senate already tightly divided.
A lower court pulled Republican candidate Joe Vodvarka off primary ballots for not having enough voter signatures. The state Supreme Court dismissed his appeal.
Vodvarka appealed, alleging that Republican voters who opposed his petitions had not notified the state elections office of their legal challenge, as required by law. The two-line state Supreme Court decree did not explain its judgment.
Courts had already upheld challenges to two other Senate primary candidates' documents in March. Lancaster County Republican Brandi Tomasetti and Allegheny County Democrat William Parker were disqualified.
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