What’s more, it’s possible that Mr. McCormick might win in the end. Some of the areas with votes outstanding were expected to favor him. By Thursday morning Mr. Oz’s lead had fallen to about 1,200. Pennsylvania is notoriously slow to count mail ballots, in part because state law says they can’t be handled until the morning of Election Day.

If Mr. McCormick wins the final count, will Mr. Trump smear him as an election thief? Would GOP voters believe that nonsense? Pennsylvania has closed primaries, so everybody who voted for Mr. Oz or Mr. McCormick must be registered as a Republican.

By taking a political hatchet to Mr. McCormick, Mr. Trump could discourage Republicans from supporting him in November, giving away a winnable Senate seat. The Democratic nominee, John Fetterman, supports Medicare for All and would vote for whatever else Elizabeth Warren cooks up. Recall how Mr. Trump cost the GOP two Senate seats in Georgia’s 2021 runoffs.