The Senate majority leader had not extended invitations to two candidates in close races.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has opened up this week’s Senate orientation to all new senators, his office said on Nov. 12.
A spokesperson told news outlets that invitations were sent to senator-elects Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.).
Schumer’s office said on Nov. 10 that neither McCormick nor Gallego had been invited to participate in the orientation because votes were still being counted in those races.
McCormick was projected to beat Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) on Nov. 7. The race in Arizona was called on Nov. 12 in favor of Gallego, who was competing against Republican Kari Lake for an open seat.
“As is custom, we will invite the winner once the votes are counted,” Schumer’s spokesperson said previously.
Casey and Lake have not conceded yet, and officials in Pennsylvania and Arizona are still counting votes.
The move to not invite the incoming senators had drawn criticism. Outgoing Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), who will be succeeded by Gallego, said on the social media website X that when she ran in 2018, she was invited to orientation even before she was projected as the winner.
“I learned so much & made lasting relationships that week. Dave McCormick & Ruben Gallego will be senators for PA & AZ. They should be invited to orientation & start learning the job,” Sinema wrote.
Schumer will be the top senator until January 2025, when Republicans take control of the upper chamber. He could remain as the top Democrat, but would be minority leader instead of majority leader.
Republicans have not yet chosen their top senator for the upcoming Congress. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has been the top Republican for years, but is vacating the position.
Republicans, if the projected results hold, will have 53 seats in the Senate come January.
McCormick and Gallego are slated to be joined as new senators by senator-elects Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), John Curtis (R-Utah), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.).
Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) won reelection.