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Dave McCormick Looks to End Democrat Win Streak in Pennsylvania

Posted on Thursday, January 4, 2024
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AMAC Exclusive – By B.C. Brutus

Casey vs McCormick

If Republicans hope to finally fulfill their dreams of a “red wave” in 2024, particularly when it comes to the U.S. Senate, high on their list of targets is Pennsylvania. While the primary is still more than three months out, so far the leading Republican candidate to challenge incumbent Democrat Senator Bob Casey is Dave McCormick, a successful businessman who hopes his platform of lower taxes and support for manufacturing and coal mining jobs will break Democrats’ winning streak in the Keystone State.

McCormick first made a name for himself in the 2022 Senate contest when he lost the Republican nomination to Dr. Mehmet Oz by less than 1,000 votes. Although that was his first foray into electoral politics, McCormick proved himself a capable fundraiser who was able to run a well-organized campaign.

McCormick’s early life and career appear to have prepared him well for his entrance into the political arena. Born and raised in the Pittsburgh area, McCormick earned admission to West Point after high school, graduating in 1987 with a degree in mechanical engineering.

From there, McCormick went on to Army Ranger school and joined the 82nd Airborne Division. He was part of the first wave of troops into Iraq during the Gulf War. He served five years in the Army before returning to civilian life.

Following his military service, McCormick earned a Ph.D. in international relations from Princeton University before taking a job as a consultant at McKinsey & Co.

McCormick’s first experience in government came in 2005 when President George W. Bush tapped him to serve as the Commerce Department’s Undersecretary for Industry and Security. He later served as Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Policy and then as Undersecretary of the Treasury for International Affairs.

After his time in the Bush administration, McCormick joined Bridgewater Associates, the largest hedge fund in the world. By 2017 he had become the firm’s CEO.

Although McCormick was considered for high-profile positions in the Trump administration, including Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of Defense, he ultimately remained at Bridgewater. He did, however, serve on Trump’s Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee.

After a hotly contested primary in 2022 between McCormick, Oz, and surprise contender Kathy Barnette, early indications suggest that McCormick should cruise to the nomination this time around.

Prior to announcing his bid last September, McCormick had lined up endorsements from Pennsylvania’s entire GOP congressional delegation and secured the support of National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Steve Daines (R-MT), who called McCormick “exactly the type of candidate who can win both a primary and a general election in one of the most competitive states in the country.”

But even if he does win the primary, McCormick has a formidable challenge ahead of him in the general election. Casey easily secured his seat back in 2018 with 55 percent of the vote, and the most recent polling in the race, conducted last October, had Casey at 50 percent support and McCormick at 44 percent support.

Additionally, national Democrats are expected to pour money into Pennsylvania this year, and it will likely end up being one of the most expensive Senate races in history. With so many vulnerable seats up for re-election, Democrats will be all the more motivated to hold onto seats like Casey’s where they believe they have an advantage.

But McCormick’s team appears to believe that they have the recipe to take down Casey and hand Republicans their first statewide victory in Pennsylvania since Trump won there in 2016.

In particular, McCormick is aiming to make his campaign a referendum on Biden as much as Casey and tie the two together as much as possible. In his announcement speech, McCormick described the race as one between a “Pennsylvania success story and a rubber stamp career politician.”

“Joe Biden says vote, Bob Casey says which way,” McCormick continued. “Due to the failed leadership of Joe Biden, America is in decline: economically, militarily, spiritually.”

The key for McCormick in this race will be keeping the GOP coalition together in the general election – something that proved difficult for Pennsylvania Republicans following the ugly primary in 2022. Attacks on Oz’s conservative bona fides stemming from his days as host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” most notably his prior support for abortion and child gender transitions, continued to plague him in the general election and likely hampered enthusiasm from conservative voters, although he spoke out strongly against both practices during his campaign.

Although McCormick has faced some criticism of his own for his work in China while with Bridgewater, he has made opposition to the communist country one of the pillars of his 2024 candidacy. His campaign website describes China as “the gravest threat to our security and well-being since the end of World War II,” and calls for six specific bans to “fortify American military and economic strength, thwart China’s aggressive ambitions and protect the homeland.”

With 11 months to go until Election Day, McCormick appears to be building the necessary foundation to defeat Casey. Now, he will have to capitalize on the opportunity.

The Pennsylvania Republican primary will be held on April 23, and the general election will be on November 5.

B.C. Brutus is the pen name of a writer with previous experience in the legislative and executive branches.

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Morbious
Morbious
9 months ago

This is the state that voted in the goon in a hoodie, so this is more fantasy talk. Wishing wont make up seven points. Sorry. One of the other states where dems are defending might turn in a miracle, but its highly unlikely to be PA. One other state plus WVA and Rs take the majority. First order of business: put mcconnel out to pasture.

Veteran
Veteran
9 months ago

If he can end the Democrat election cheating in Pennsylvania he may well pull it off!

Melinda
Melinda
9 months ago

McCormick sounds like he has some excellent credentials. I hope the people of PA are sick enough of ‘business as usual’ to try someone different. I wish him luck and success.

Monica
Monica
9 months ago

It is past time for Casey to leave. He has done nothing during his years in government.

Hammer
Hammer
9 months ago

We MUST get McCormick elected if we are to save jobs and our way of life here in Pa. WE are at a critical junction in 2024 and Republican Candidates need to have a clear message about where they stand and what they want to do for Pennsylvanians. Not political hacks picked by the Republican machine but real Candidates ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work for us and America. The only thing the Democrats have is party unity and towing the party line! Biden is a disaster, Casey is a do nothing Senator, Fetterman is a complete sham that is as bad as Biden and it`s time to weed them out and get back on track!

Mike B
Mike B
9 months ago

I am totally confident that Ronna McDaniel will put a monkey wrench into the campaign.

Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
9 months ago

Bravo if MAGA GOP Hooray Yes

Fred Noel
Fred Noel
9 months ago

How does he plan to do it? By exposing all the voter and balloting fraud and corruption.
That’s already been done and ignore by all levels of Law enforcement. Nothing going to change the Democrats commit this fraud in the open because they know they wouldn’t be held accountable for it. Like panel trucks unloading pallets of ballots in the middle of the night at tabulation centers.

Kay L Martin
Kay L Martin
9 months ago

I have seen, experienced few and far between R that didn’t sell out…I’m elder and NEVER believe what is being sold by R. Johnson is already proving he is sold out…and despicably “calling” himself a Christian. Dems are almost always Communist…I can count on it. Trump and Reagan ONLY true Republicans.in recent years. In La..more R ARE true R. It’s not what you’re called but who you truly are.

CarlS
CarlS
9 months ago

I’m tired of hearing THE RED WAVE where in fact the last one was a ripple. Hopefully McCormick will be the real deal

Philip Seth Hammersley
Philip Seth Hammersley
9 months ago

Junior Casey is NOTHING like his dad. His dad was literally thrown out of the DIMM convention one year because HE was pro-life. His son is a FAKER! But if they have all mail-in (AKA fake) votes, in violation of the PA constitution, McCormick is in trouble!

Kay L Martin
Kay L Martin
9 months ago

Prove it

GTPatriot
GTPatriot
9 months ago

The Repubs should have mauled the Dims in 2022 but didn’t. What would make us think that 2024 will be any different. The Repubs will not perform at the level the polls say they will.They will achieve less than the polls indicate because the Repubs do not know how to run a race. Sure, all of the key issues are in their favor but the Repubs don’t know to take advantage of an advantage.
Trump, maybe, may save them but he will be the only reason. The Repub party dosen’t understand how to max voter turnout.
The Dims are the election pros. They can beat superior Repub candidates with inferior candidates.

BACKWOODS
BACKWOODS
8 months ago

Until we confront stolen elections in the Communist Wealth of Pennsylvania Republicans will not win unless they are part of the cabal. You know the Destroy America club. I just wrote a letter to his campaign that he will not earn my donation by telling me about BUCKY Bob. I want to hear him condemn the Bioweapon Jab, confront stolen elections, the wrongful imprisonment of J6ers, the open border, the prosecution of the traitors and many more.

Robin W Boyd
Robin W Boyd
9 months ago

The Democrat machine in PA is very strong. There is no way we in PA actually elected someone who is as mentally and emotionally impaired as John Fetterman is or the dead guy who got the most votes. We in PA are just not that stupid! I wish anyone opposing Progressive politicians like Bob Casey luck on being able to be elected in a fair election. I just don’t have a lot of hope we can overcome the Democrat machine that more than rivals the Tammany Hall Democrats of the past. newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Tammany_Hall

Gabe Hanzeli kent wa
Gabe Hanzeli kent wa
9 months ago

good. it is about time the Pennsylvanian people started realizing the democrats are always bs, lies and bad for you.

Tim
Tim
9 months ago

And still no one addresses the massive cheating

Ladybug
Ladybug
9 months ago

McCormick sounds like a good one and God know PA is in dire need of a man like him! Pennsylvanians should hang their heads in shame after sending brain damaged, slovenly dressed, and slow to show, do as he pleases Fetterman to D.C. America needs REAL men in office rather than do nothing pansies and corrupt dems. Go, McCormick, show ’em how it’s done and God bless you!!

Steven
Steven
9 months ago

This state is in extreme need of leadership change…

Stephen C
Stephen C
9 months ago

A long time PA resident chiming in here. I will gladly vote for Dave McCormick if he indeed secures the Republican nomination in the primary, but know also know the “spin” the Dems will use in their media ads (basically the exact same claims used against him back in 2022 by the Oz campaign, i.e. rich millionaire who headed an investment company with ties to China, etc.). I actually think that if she could raise the $$ needed, fellow veteran (like McCormick), conservative, and solidly pro-life Kathy Barnette, would have a better chance of unseating Bob Casey, especially with “minority” voters! And, in closing, your article described Bob Casey’s senate career to a tee, e.g. a loyal Democrat who ALWAYS votes the Party line and does leadership’s bidding, regardless if it is what is truly what is best for PA and the USA!

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