GOP Senate hopeful Dave McCormick votes early to ‘set a good example’ as Pennsylvania Republicans cut Dems’ mail-in advantage

PITTSBURGH — GOP Senate campaigner Dave McCormick voted early successful this Democratic stronghold Monday — just arsenic Pennsylvania Republicans are cutting into their bluish counterparts’ pre-Election Day balloting advantage.

“We’ve had a immense push connected closing nan spread connected mail-in ballots, getting Republicans retired early. Tomorrow’s nan past time to registry for a mail-in ballot. So I wanted to travel down present and group a bully example, effort to get group retired to vote,” McCormick told The Post aft casting his ballot successful downtown Pittsburgh.

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report moved nan title from thin Democratic to a toss-up arsenic recent polls show McCormick and three-term Democratic Sen. Bob Casey cervix and neck.

Republicans are busily promoting early and mail-in balloting to “swamp nan vote” successful 2024 aft erstwhile President Donald Trump’s comments astir fraud undermined nan GOP mail-in ballot successful 2020. 

McCormick run strategist Mark Harris said nan squad is knocking doors, making calls and posting to societal media to promote early voting, whether by message aliases successful person, conscionable arsenic groups for illustration Americans for Prosperity and Elon Musk’s America political-action committee effort to scope low-turnout Trump and McCormick supporters successful Pennsylvania.

It seems to beryllium working.

“Last week we had much requests than Democrats,” Harris said, whipping retired an Excel spreadsheet connected his telephone to show registered Republicans made 17,000 much mail-in requests than Democrats. 

Though Dems person requested and returned hundreds of thousands much mail-in ballots successful total, Republicans person accrued their stock considerably.

They held 30% of each mail-in returns 12 days retired from Election Day, up from 21% successful 2020 and 20% successful 2022, shared Harris, who analyzed play information from nan Pennsylvania Department of State.

Cliff Maloney pinch nan Pennsylvania Chase mail-in-vote task has told The Post Trump could triumph Pennsylvania pinch 26% of nan mail-in ballot and guarantee victory pinch 33%. He said his 120 paid canvassers person knocked almost 360,000 doors to promote low-propensity Trump voters to return their ballots.

Outside nan Allegheny County Office Building pinch 2 twelve McCormick supporters, Janet Sidor, Franklin Park Republican Committee vice chair, was connected nan telephone pinch an aged couple, helping them update their mail-in ballot reside earlier Tuesday’s petition deadline.

“I’m conscionable trying to thief a elector lick a problem,” nan McCormick run unpaid said.

At slightest six early voters successful nan increasing statement extracurricular nan building said they’re voting Republican.

Pat Mason brought his girl Gabby, 19, down from Tarentum successful northeast Pittsburgh to ballot Republican successful her first election.

“They’re getting nan connection out. They want you to ballot early, dissimilar successful 2020,” he said, noting he’s been encouraged by societal media and TV ads.

Mark and Catherine Zik, pro-life Republicans from South Fayette, said they’re voting for nan Army vet because they for illustration him.

“He’s sewage business smarts, and Casey’s been successful location excessively long,” Mark told The Post.

But Matt and Kim Smith, a retired mates who precocious fled California for Pittsburgh, didn’t cognize overmuch astir nan candidate.

“He’s behind, right?” asked Matt, who was ecstatic astir Trump’s promises to little taxes, hike tariffs and unafraid nan border.

But if nan erstwhile prez excites immoderate early voters, his spot astatine nan apical of nan summons whitethorn move disconnected different would-be McCormick voters.

“I’m not supporting McCormick. I judge a woman’s correct to take is paramount,” said retiree Judy Gough from Forest Hills, who’s voting consecutive Democrat.

Though McCormick does not support a national abortion ban, she said, “He supports Donald Trump. I don’t spot him.”

Andrea Petri, an Italian émigré, said nan Republican Party would person to alteration a batch to gain his ballot aft Trump.

“My state was torn isolated by fascism. I don’t want nan aforesaid to hap here. Very simple,” nan package technologist from Fox Chapel said.

McCormick urged his supporters to support moving — and not conscionable connected nan statement faithful.

“We gotta get group retired location to ballot early. We gotta get Republicans to vote, but we gotta get independents and Democrats,” he said.