David McCormick refused to call the 2020 election “stolen” and former President Donald Trump denied him his endorsement in the 2022 Pennsylvania Senate election. That move would cost McCormick, who went on to narrowly lose to Mehmet Oz in the primary.
Oz lost to John Fetterman (D-PA) in 2022, and now, with no other notable Republicans in the 2024 PA Senate race, Trump has endorsed McCormick in his battle against incumbent Bob Casey (D-PA) at a rally in PA.
“I am officially giving my endorsement to David McCormick tonight,” Trump said. He’s a good man. He wants to run a good ship. He’s a smart guy, who was a very successful guy. He’s given up a lot to do this.”
McCormick responded to Trump’s backing enthusiastically despite their conflict in the past. He was not present at the rally due to a family event, his campaign told CNN.
Thank you, President Trump!
Together we will deliver a big win for Pennsylvania and America in November.
https://t.co/MGn7HbwEuX
— Dave McCormick (@DaveMcCormickPA) April 14, 2024
The Senate candidate also waited to endorse Trump until after Nikki Haley suspended her campaign following a resounding Super Tuesday defeat in another hint of their personal divisions. Other Republican Senate candidates have been more enthusiastic to offer Trump their approval. Jim Banks, who is running for an open Senate seat in Indiana, has endorsed Trump since at least November.
Trump’s rhetoric regarding McCormick didn’t appear as decisive as his endorsement of Oz in 2022 either. Then, he called Oz popular, respected, and brilliant in a statement along with naming him as the candidate with the best chance to draw votes out of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Trump told voters at his rally to vote for McCormick because “[Bob] Casey doesn’t do a damn thing” and McCormick is the Republican nominee. In 2022, he told voters to avoid McCormick because “he’s not MAGA.”
McCormick previously worked as a Under Secretary of Treasury and Deputy National Security Advisor to George W. Bush’s administration and left Bridgewater Associates in 2022 after serving over a decade as their CEO.
In 2022, while at Bridgewater, McCormick declined an offer from Trump to be his deputy secretary of defense in favor of staying at the company. Trump has previously said Bridgewater “managed money for communist China.”
And while it seems Trump has gotten over some of his problems with McCormick enough to endorse him, voters will have their complicated relationship on display as they go to the polls in November.