BREAKING: Bob Casey FINALLY concedes in PA, Dave McCormick heads to Senate

Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey conceded his contested race on Thursday as the recount he ordered continued. He said in a video that he had called Dave McCormick to congratulate him on his win of the seat. Casey has served in Pennsylvania since 2007. The race had already been called for McCormick by major news organizations. This gives Republicans 53 Senate seats to the Democrats' 47.

"I just called Dave McCormick to congratulate him on winning his election to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Senate," Casey began. He praised the recount process he demanded, saying that Pennsylvanians can now be assured that their votes have been counted. Casey said he was "proud of the work" that's been done since election day in ensuring the democratic process, and thanked those who joined the effort to cure ballots and commence recounts.

Casey had previously refused to concede. With 98 percent of the vote counted, McCormick had received 49 percent of the vote to Casey's 48.5 percent. Ballots were yet to be counted, and Casey said "I have dedicated my life to making sure Pennsylvanians’ voices are heard, whether on the floor of the Senate or in a free and fair election. It has been made clear there are more than 100,000 votes still to be counted. Pennsylvania is where our democratic process was born. We must allow that process to play out and ensure that every vote that is eligible to be counted will be counted. That is what Pennsylvania deserves."

Casey had served as auditor general, state treasurer, and senator for Pennsylvania. Serving the people of the Keystone State had been "the honor of my lifetime," Casey said in conclusion.

The recount had been contentious, with election officials in Bucks County declaring that they would not follow a Supreme Court ruling that said ineligible ballots could not be counted. McCormick as well as voters contested this plan.