1 month ago
Former President Donald Trump is backing Republican Senate campaigner Dave McCormick successful Pennsylvania – aft throwing his support to a different campaigner during McCormick's first tally for nan Senate 2 years ago.
"I americium officially giving my endorsement to David McCormick tonight. He’s a bully a man. He wants to tally a bully ship. He’s a smart guy, who was a very successful guy. He’s fixed up a batch to do this," Trump declared connected Saturday, arsenic he said astatine a ample rally successful Schnecksville, Pennsylvania.
McCormick, a erstwhile hedge money executive, West Point graduate, Gulf War combat seasoned and Treasury Department charismatic successful erstwhile President George W. Bush’s administration, launched his 2nd Senate bid past year. He's moving unopposed successful nan important battleground state's April 23 superior and will look disconnected successful November against longtime Democratic Sen. Bob Casey Jr.
"I’ll show you what: He’s nan nominee of nan Republican Party, David McCormick. Go retired and ballot for him because Casey doesn’t do a damn thing," Trump emphasized.
FIRST ON FOX: MCCORMICK SHOWCASES MAJOR FUNDRAISING HAUL IN KEY SENATE SHOWDOWN
Former U.S. President Donald Trump greets attendees during a run arena successful Schnecksville, Pa., Saturday, April 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Joe Lamberti) (AP Photo/Joe Lamberti)
Casey, nan boy of a celebrated erstwhile governor, served a decade arsenic Pennsylvania's auditor wide and past treasurer earlier winning predetermination to nan Senate successful 2006.
The Senate race successful Pennsylvania is 1 of a fistful crossed nan state that will apt determine if nan Republicans triumph backmost nan mostly successful nan chamber.
Democrats presently power nan U.S. Senate pinch a 51-49 majority, but Republicans are looking astatine a favorable Senate representation this year, pinch Democrats defending 23 of nan 34 seats up for grabs.
Three of those seats are successful reddish states that Trump carried successful his 2020 predetermination conclusion to President Biden — Ohio, Montana and West Virginia, wherever Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin is not moving for re-election. And Pennsylvania is 1 of 5 cardinal wide predetermination battlegrounds wherever nan Democrats are defending seats. Democrats whitethorn besides person to interest astir holding nan unfastened Senate spot successful bluish Maryland, wherever erstwhile GOP Gov. Larry Hogan is running.
TRUMP, BIDEN, MAKE DUELING TRIPS TO THIS CRUCIAL BATTLEGROUND STATE
McCormick was not astatine Saturday’s rally. His run told Fox News the candidate had a antecedently scheduled family committedness that he made long before Trump precocious announced his rally successful Schnecksville, which is located successful nan Lehigh Valley, a highly competitory portion of nan northeastern plaything state.
Following nan rally, McCormick thanked Trump for nan endorsement successful a social media post.
"Thank you, President Trump,", he said. "Together we will present a large triumph for Pennsylvania and America successful November."
Republican Senate campaigner Dave McCormick launches a run autobus tour, successful Lititz, Pennsylvania, connected Feb. 10, 2024 (Dave McCormick campaign)
McCormick was portion of a crowded and combustible conflict for nan 2022 GOP nomination. He ended up losing nan information by a razor-thin separator to personage expert and cardiac surgeon Mehmet Oz, who secured a superior triumph acknowledgment to a precocious endorsement from Trump. Oz ended up losing nan wide predetermination to Democrat John Fetterman.
"I don’t cognize David well, and he whitethorn beryllium a bully guy, but he’s not MAGA," Trump said of McCormick astatine nan time, arsenic he referred to his legions of Make America Great Again loyalists and supporters.
This clip around, McCormick faces nary awesome guidance successful nan GOP primary. He is backed by longtime Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and nan Pennsylvania GOP, and was encouraged to tally by nan National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is nan party's Senate run arm.
McCormick endorsed Trump early past period aft nan erstwhile president scored awesome victories successful nan seashore to seashore Super Tuesday contests and Nikki Haley – Trump's past remaining rival for nan 2024 GOP statesmanlike information – dropped retired of nan White House race.
Trump's sojourn to Pennsylvania is his 3rd this year. He made a Feb. 9 extremity successful Harrisburg to reside NRA members gathered astatine nan group's Great American Outdoor Show. Days later, he made an different extremity successful Philadelphia astatine ‘Sneaker Con’ – a awesome waste and acquisition show – to hawk caller Trump-branded sneakers.
Pennsylvania is 1 of six battleground states wherever Biden narrowly edged Trump successful nan statesmanlike predetermination 4 years agone to seizure nan White House.
Most of nan latest nationalist sentiment polls successful Pennsylvania propose a adjacent title betwixt Biden and Trump for nan state's 19 electoral votes.
The president returns to nan authorities wherever he was calved connected Tuesday, for 3 days of events successful Pennsylvania, wherever his governmental advisers opportunity Biden intends to spotlight his plans to raise taxes for nan wealthiest Americans and corporations arsenic he paints contrasts pinch Trump connected economical issues.
President Joe Biden speaks astatine a run arena astatine Strath Haven Middle School successful Wallingford, Pennsylvania, connected March 8, 2024. (Photo by Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images) (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Biden kicks disconnected nan three-day plaything pinch a reside successful Scranton, wherever he spent portion of his childhood. The president has many times returned to nan working-class metropolis successful northeastern Pennsylvania arsenic he's made populist pitches to Americans.
The president will caput to Pittsburgh connected Wednesday, followed by a run arena Thursday successful Philadelphia. Biden's plaything done Pennsylvania will travel arsenic Trump makes history arsenic nan first existent aliases erstwhile president successful nan nation's history to spell connected trial.
Trump's hush-money proceedings will get underway Monday successful a New York City courtroom.
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The erstwhile president – who is being tried connected 34 authorities felony charges – is accused of falsifying business records successful narration to hush-money payments during nan 2016 predetermination he made to Stormy Daniels to support quiet astir his alleged matter pinch nan big movie actress.
Trump has many times denied falsifying business records arsenic good arsenic nan alleged intersexual brushwood pinch Daniels.
Get nan latest updates from nan 2024 run trail, exclusive interviews and much astatine our Fox News Digital predetermination hub
Paul Steinhauser is simply a authorities newsman based successful New Hampshire.
