The Palestinian Authority’s Trump-backed Senate candidate is retiring the Democrats’ long-standing seat in the exciting election

Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick was declared victorious Tuesday in his crucial election against longtime Democratic Sen. Bob Casey.

Casey has served in the Senate since 2008 and eventually became a fixture within the Democratic Party. For example, according to data from FiveThirtyEight, he voted on legislation that President Biden supported 98.5% of the time.

The Casey name also has deep roots in the state: Bob Casey Sr., the senator’s father, was governor of the Keystone State from 1987 to 1995 after serving for years in various other elected offices.

However, the longtime senator faced his most difficult re-election yet, running against Republican businessman Dave McCormick.

McCormick is an Army veteran and former CEO of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates who served as undersecretary of commerce, industry and security and treasury undersecretary for international affairs in former President George W. Bush’s administration.

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Senator Bob Casey, left, and Dave McCormick (Getty Images)

Political eyes have been on Pennsylvania this election cycle after it once again emerged as a key battleground state for the presidential election. Trump narrowly won the state against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in his successful 2016 election, while President Biden declared victory in the Keystone State in the 2020 election.

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The race was classified as “Leans Democrat” by both Fox News Power Rankings and the Cook Political Report, with Casey himself admitting it would be a “tight, tough race” this year.

Former President Obama is shown with Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., left, and then-Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf at a campaign rally in Philadelphia on Sept. 21, 2018. (Getty Images/Mark Makela)

Biden campaigned for Casey in their shared home state, with the president praising the senator as “a man kids can look up to.” Across the aisle, McCormick received Trump’s endorsement in the Keystone State.

“He is a good man. He wants to run a good ship,” Trump said during a rally in April. “He’s a smart guy. He was a very successful guy. He gave up a lot to achieve this.”

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The two have clashed in their campaigns and debates over issues such as immigration, abortion, rising inflation and law enforcement.

Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick is interviewed during a tour of Lackawanna College School of Petroleum and Natural Gas in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, on May 10, 2022. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

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Casey campaigned on protecting access to abortion, reducing “greed inflation,” preserving Pennsylvania’s “energy heritage” while “protecting our environment,” and strengthening infrastructure in rural areas.

McCormick campaigned on curbing inflation under the Biden-Harris administration, securing the border, curbing crime, defending the Second Amendment and expanding the Keystone State’s energy sector.

The high-stakes election thrust both candidates into the national spotlight, including earlier this year when the state’s police leaders criticized Casey for aligning himself with a group that advocated for defunding the police in preparation for the election. He has also been criticized by McCormick and other conservatives for rhetorically claiming that rising inflation is due to alleged corporate greed, which he calls “greed inflation.”

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McCormick came under fire from Casey and Democrats for splitting his time between Pennsylvania and Connecticut, where his children attend school, portraying him as an outsider to the Keystone State.

Get the latest updates on the 2024 election, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital Election Center.