If it doesn’t work at first…
Former Republican hedge fund CEO David McCormick announced Thursday that he will seek to oust Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey. It’s been more than a year since McCormick narrowly lost the Republican primary to Dr. Mehmet Oz, a Trump-backed celebrity surgeon and television personality.
In a kickoff speech at Pittsburgh’s Heinz History Center, the Army veteran and former CEO of Bridgewater Associates took aim at “Joe Biden’s failed leadership,” saying that Casey is a Washington insider and White House denounced it as a “rubber stamp”.
“Remember, I’m a paratrooper. The reason I’m willing to choose to jump out of a plane to survive is because I’m not afraid to mix things up,” McCormick said. “I refuse to accept the status quo in Washington.”
“We have a big problem. The southern border is open, but too many factories are closed,” he continued. “Crime is up and incomes are down. Gas, food, and rent prices are high, and trust in our nation’s leaders is low.”
McCormick also touted his Keystone State University roots, speaking about his upbringing as a “seventh generation Pennsylvanian” whose parents worked as teachers and whose father was Pennsylvania’s governor from 1987 to 1995. He contrasted this with the upbringing of Mr. Casey, who served as
“My opponent is part of the problem,” he said. “He first ran for office almost 30 years ago. Bob Casey can’t change Washington. Bob Casey is Washington.”
Mr. McCormick, 58, is against Mr. Casey in what is expected to be one of the most competitive and costly races that will determine whether Democrats retain control of the 51-49 Senate majority. He is likely to be the only significant Republican challenger.
McCormick fell 950 votes short of Oz in the 2022 Republican primary, and Oz lost the general election to current Democratic Sen. John Fetterman.
Unlike other races this season in West Virginia and Montana, McCormick is not expected to face a primary challenge from a candidate supported by the 77-year-old former president.
“Dave McCormick has done an incredible job of uniting the grassroots of Pennsylvania,” said Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, in a statement. “A West Point graduate, military veteran, and Pennsylvania job creator, Dave is exactly the kind of candidate who can win both the primary and general election in one of the most competitive states in the nation. It’s great news that Dave has stepped up to serve our country again.”
Pennsylvania Sen. Doug Mastriano may have considered running after losing the gubernatorial race last fall, but decided not to run and instead chose to support McCormick.
“It’s time to come together,” Mastriano said Monday. during the interview About “Real America’s Voice.”
Kathy Barnett, who finished third in last year’s Senate primary, is leaving the field unchecked as she serves as national grassroots director for 2024 Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
But Republicans face an uphill battle against Mr. Casey, who is seeking a fourth term in office and carrying on his father’s famous name.Democrats lead by 5 percentage points closest vote between two people — and the latest survey shows a double-digit difference.
Pennsylvania’s two Senate seats were held by one Republican and one Democrat from Casey’s victory in 2006 until Republican Sen. Pat Toomey retired in 2022.
Casey, 63, has raised more than $4 million since the beginning of the year for his reelection bid and has nearly $6 million in cash on hand. According to federal campaign finance filings..
Mr. Fetterman also criticized Mr. McCormick over an Associated Press report that identified Republican candidates and expressed support for the fellow Democratic senator. Shuttles between luxurious mansions in Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
But McCormick campaign strategists say Mr. Fetterman’s attack points to a potential weakness in Mr. Casey’s lower profile.
“He was like wallpaper to Pennsylvania voters,” the official said.
