In a surprising turn of events, former President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind David McCormick, a candidate for the U.S. Senate. This endorsement comes despite Trump's past efforts to derail McCormick's campaign two years ago.
Trump announced his support for McCormick during a campaign rally near Allentown. However, McCormick, who reportedly splits his time between Pennsylvania and his home in Connecticut, was not present at the rally. According to his campaign spokesperson, McCormick was attending a parents' weekend with his daughter. Despite his absence, McCormick expressed his gratitude to the former president on social media.
McCormick, the former CEO of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, is aiming to unseat Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, a well-known figure in Pennsylvania politics. This race is considered one of the most fiercely contested Senate races this year.
Interestingly, Trump's endorsement comes after a rocky past between the two men. In 2022, McCormick, along with other candidates in the GOP primary to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, sought Trump's endorsement. However, according to McCormick, Trump told him he would need to claim the 2020 election was stolen to win the primary. McCormick refused to do so.
Three days later, Trump endorsed Dr. Mehmet Oz and repeatedly criticized McCormick on the campaign trail. At one rally, Trump even told the crowd that McCormick was "not MAGA," using the acronym for his Make America Great Again campaign slogan. He also criticized McCormick for his ties to a company that "managed money for communist China," labeling him as "the candidate of special interests and globalists and the Washington establishment."
Despite their past, Trump praised McCormick at the recent rally, saying, "He's a good man. He wants to run a good ship. He's a smart guy. He was a very successful guy. He's given up a lot to do this."
McCormick responded on social media, writing, "Thank you, President Trump! Together we will deliver a big win for Pennsylvania and America in November."