Republican Dave McCormick says he can make a difference for Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Senate Republican candidate Dave McCormick, who lost a close election in 2022, is back for round two.
He sat down with KDKA-TV political editor Jon Delano and explained why he wants a second try.
"This is a real gut check," McCormick said.
Two years ago, Dave McCormick lost the Republican primary for U.S. Senate by less than 1,000 votes to Mehmet Oz. Now McCormick is back again.
"I feel an obligation to try to serve, and I think in the U.S. Senate, I can make a real difference," McCormick said.
Now the Republican nominee, McCormick, the former CEO of a mutlibillion-dollar hedgefund in Connecticut, says this election is about leadership.
"Having the right leaders represent Pennsylvania in the Senate, by having someone who has served in the military, went to West Point, been a job creator in Pennsylvania, someone who doesn't owe anyone anything, an independent thinker, someone who will fight for Pennsylvania -- I can make a real difference. And I think that is in real contrast to my opponent Sen. Casey," McCormick said.
McCormick stresses his leadership skills as president of FreeMarkets in Pittsburgh in the 1990s, a senior level official in the Bush administration and the head of Bridgewater Associates in Connecticut from 2009 to 2022, after which he returned to run for Senate. McCormick says this election is also about change.
"If you think that the status quo is OK, if you think that we're generally OK, you should not vote for me. I am running because I think we are in trouble," McCormick said.
McCormick lists a host of issues from inflation to fentanyl deaths to a war on energy to border security, on which he says Casey has failed to lead.
"Has Bob Casey been a leader at solving these huge problems? I would say no. I would say under Bob Casey's leadership, the economy's gotten much worse for Pennsylvanians, our security in the world has gotten much worse, the wide-open borders has challenged Pennsylvania, crime is much worse," McCormick said.
McCormick says he will prove during this campaign how Casey has failed on each of these issues.