PHILADELPHIA – Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick unveiled a six-point plan during an appearance in Philadelphia on Thursday that he says is aimed at “shaking up” China-U.S. relations
“Simply put, China poses the greatest threat to our security and prosperity since the end of World War II,” McCormick said. “And our nation’s leaders, including career politicians like Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, have misled China for more than two decades.”
McCormick’s plan, titled “A Key Program to Take Back America,” aimed to reduce the amount of fentanyl coming into the U.S. from China, remove China from the World Health Organization, and ban “strategic purchases” of U.S. land by the Chinese Communist Party.
He said he also wants to “revoke the benefits” of indefinite normal trade relations with China, make the United States “less dependent” on lithium batteries and solar panels exported from China, and “end any U.S. investment or trade” that supports China. National Security State” of the Communist Party.
China has already become one of the key issues in the race between McCormick and his opponent, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, in 2024. Casey and the Pennsylvania Democratic Party have sharply criticized McCormick for his past business dealings with China when he was CEO of Bridgewater Associates.
Earlier this week, Casey pushed for a review of U.S. investments in China that would require U.S. corporations and others to notify the Treasury Secretary before deals involving artificial intelligence, advanced semiconductors, satellite communications and quantum computing. He scolded Republicans in the House of Representatives for preventing passage of the bill at the eleventh hour.
Casey is pushing a review of U.S. investments in China, but is facing a roadblock in the House of Representatives
In his 22-minute speech, McCormick talked about his previous relationship with China, saying he had been there on numerous occasions, including as a senior government official and businessman.
“He’ll say Bridgewater did business in China. And it happened,” McCormick said of Casey. “These attacks are predictable.”
“Unfortunately, the place I visited and the China that many visitors saw two decades ago are now a distant memory,” McCormick added.
He said his previous experience makes him “uniquely prepared to deal” with U.S. relations with China.
A group protesting in front of the street Independence Visitor Center where McCormick was speaking, displayed a billboard reading ” Quote from 2007 from McCormick: “when China succeeds, the United States succeeds,” which seems to contradict his latest position.
Mark EsperThe Uniontown native and U.S. defense secretary under former President Donald Trump introduced McCormick during a Thursday afternoon speech.
Esper recalled a decades-long professional and personal friendship, as well as the shared inspiration he drew from Ronald Reagan.
“I am a bright, unabashed and unapologetic China hawk,” Esper said. “Guess what? Like Dave McCormick.
Esper and McCormick are West Point graduates and served in the Persian Gulf War.
Thursday’s event in Philadelphia was the first in McCormick’s “America’s Future Tour” series.
Before the event, Jeff BartosMontgomery County businessman and former GOP nominee for lieutenant governor and U.S. Senate told the Capital-Star he sees the economy as the No. 1 issue in 2024, but said the topic of China is a “critical issue” in the race.
“Pennsylvania may be the fastest-growing and most dynamic state in the country … but we must admit that the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Republic of China are not our friends,” Bartos said.
John Fetterman won each of Philadelphia’s densely populated counties in 2022 over Republican Mehmet Oz by at least a margin 7 pointswhile Casey carried at least every one of those counties 14 points over Republican Congressman Lou Barletta in 2018. McCormick lost the 2022 GOP nomination to Oz over less than 1000 votes.
In 2016, GOP Sen. Pat Toomey won Bucks County 5 points and Chester County by 2 points over Democratic challenger Katie McGinty.
Bartos said he believes McCormick’s business experience combined with his military service and rural upbringing make him a forceful candidate in suburban Philadelphia and “well-positioned to win in collar counties.”
McCormick will likely face Casey in the 2024 general election, and neither candidate currently has a credible primary challenger.
