GOP Candidate for PA Court Seat Concedes After Recount

With counties wrapping up their recount Tuesday, Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judge Lori Dumas led former state Senate GOP lawyer Drew Crompton by about 21,000 votes.

HARRISBURG  — The Republican candidate trailing in a statewide recount for an open seat on Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court conceded the race on Tuesday to Democrat Lori Dumas.

On Twitter, Drew Crompton congratulated Dumas and the other winners in the judicial races that were on the statewide ballot in Pennsylvania’s Nov. 2 election.

Republicans won three of four statewide judicial races on the Nov. 2 ballot.

A statewide recount in the Commonwealth Court race was mandated after Dumas’ finished within a half-percentage point ahead of Crompton, according to unofficial returns posted online by the state Department of State.

With counties wrapping up their recount Tuesday, Dumas led Crompton by about 21,000 votes, or by slightly less than a half-percentage point.

Dumas is a Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judge. Crompton is a former state Senate GOP lawyer who was sworn in last year to temporarily fill an opening on the court.

The court handles cases involving state government and local governments.

Almost 2.8 million ballots were cast in the election, or about 31% of Pennsylvania’s 8.7 million registered voters.

In the marquee race on the Nov. 2 ballot, Republican Kevin Brobson beat Democrat Maria McLaughlin by about 25,000 votes, or by less than 1%, according to unofficial returns.