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Former Republican hedge fund CEO David McCormick announced Thursday that he will try to unseat Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, just over a year after McCormick narrowly lost a bitter Republican primary to the famed surgeon and personality. TV backed by Trump, Dr. Mehmet Oz.
In a keynote speech at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, the Army veteran and former CEO of Bridgewater Associates took aim at “Joe Biden’s failed leadership” and accused Casey of being a Washington insider and a “rubber stamp.” for the White House.
“Remember, I’m a parachutist. When you happily choose to jump out of airplanes to make a living, it’s because you’re not afraid to mix things up,” McCormick said. “I refuse to accept things as they are in Washington.”
“We have big problems: our southern border is open, while many of our factories are closed,” he continued. “Crime has increased and income has decreased. The price of gas, food and rent is high, while trust in our leaders is low.”
Republican candidate David McCormick announced Thursday that he will run next year to unseat Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey.AP
In an inaugural speech at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, the repeat Republican Senate candidate accused his opponent of being a Washington insider and a “rubber stamp” for the White House.
McCormick also touted his roots in the Keystone State, describing himself as “a seventh-generation Pennsylvanian” whose parents worked as teachers, contrasting his upbringing with that of Casey, whose father was governor of Pennsylvania from 1987 to 1995.
“My opponent is part of the problem,” he said. “He first ran for office almost thirty years ago. Bob Casey can’t change Washington. “Bob Casey is Washington.”
McCormick, 58, is likely to be the only major Republican challenger to Casey in what is expected to be one of the most competitive (and costly) races to determine whether Democrats retain control of their 51-49 majority in the Senate.
“My opponent is part of the problem,” McCormick said. “He first ran for office almost thirty years ago. Bob Casey can’t change Washington. “Bob Casey is Washington.” AP
McCormick was 950 votes short in the 2022 Republican primary against Oz, who lost in the general election to incumbent Democratic Sen. John Fetterman.
Unlike other races this cycle in West Virginia and Montana, McCormick is not expected to face a primary challenge from any candidate endorsed by the 77-year-old former president.
“Dave McCormick has done a remarkable job of unifying the grassroots in Pennsylvania,” National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) said in a statement. “A West Point graduate, combat veteran, and Pennsylvania job creator, Dave is exactly the kind of candidate who can win both a primary and general election in one of the most competitive states in the country. “It is great news that Dave is stepping forward to serve our country once again.”
Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano, who may have considered running after his gubernatorial loss last fall, declined to enter the race and opted to endorse McCormick.
“It’s time to unify,” Mastriano said Monday during an interview in “The Voice of Real America.”
McCormick is Casey’s only Republican challenger in one of the most competitive races of 2024 to determine whether Democrats retain control of their 51-49 Senate majority.
Kathy Barnette, who came in third in last year’s Senate primary, is working as a national grassroots director for 2024 Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, leaving the field open.
But the Republican faces an uphill battle against Casey, who is seeking a fourth term and bears his father’s famous name. The Democrat leads by five percentage points in the closest poll between the two, and by a double-digit margin in the latest poll.
Pennsylvania’s two Senate seats were held by a Republican and a Democrat between Casey’s victory in 2006 and Republican Sen. Pat Toomey’s retirement in 2022.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) also supported Casey and criticized McCormick for dividing his time between Pennsylvania and a luxurious mansion in Connecticut.REUTERS
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.
Fetterman has also thrown his support behind his fellow Democratic senator, criticizing McCormick over an Associated Press report that found the Republican candidate splits his time between Pennsylvania and a lavish mansion in Connecticut.
But according to a McCormick campaign strategist, Fetterman’s attacks point to a potential vulnerability for Casey: his low name recognition.
“It’s just been kind of wallpaper for Pennsylvania voters,” the person said.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn