Former President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind Dave McCormick in the Pennsylvania Senate race, marking a remarkable endorsement for the Republican candidate who had previously run without Trump’s backing.
Trump made the announcement at a rally in Schnecksville, PA, where he praised McCormick as a “smart guy” who had been very successful prior to entering politics.
Donald Trump (Credits: The New Yorker)
During the rally, Trump encouraged his supporters to vote for McCormick, criticizing the incumbent Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) as ineffective. “David McCormick, go out and vote for him because Casey doesn’t do a damn thing,” Trump declared, eliciting boos from the audience at the mention of Casey.
McCormick, a former hedge fund executive and the ex-CEO of Bridgewater Associates is running unopposed in the upcoming April 23 GOP primary. He aims to challenge Senator Casey in the November election.
This endorsement marks a shift from 2022 when McCormick lost the Republican primary for a different Senate seat to Dr. Mehmet Oz, who had received Trump’s endorsement but finally lost to Democrat John Fetterman in the general election.
Donald Trump (Credits: The Hill)
Reacting to the endorsement on X, McCormick expressed his gratitude towards Trump: “Thank you, President Trump,” he posted. “Together we will deliver a big win for Pennsylvania and America in November.”
This endorsement signifies a repaired relationship between Trump and McCormick, who Trump had previously criticized as not being aligned with his “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement.
“I don’t know David well, and he may be a nice guy, but he’s not MAGA,” Trump had said at a rally in May 2022. Now, with McCormick’s endorsement of Trump in early March and Trump’s reciprocal endorsement, the two appear to be on better terms as the election season intensifies.
