ICYMI: McCormick Tries to “Rewrite His Past” On China Despite His “Long Track Record of Chinese Economic Ties”

New reporting from Heartland Signal details that David McCormick is trying to “rewrite his past” by “call[ing] for U.S. economic decoupling with China, despite his … long track record of Chinese economic ties.”

This follows previous reporting highlighting that McCormick released his book in an attempt to “change his tune to align himself with the China hawk rhetoric used to defeat him last year.” 

In response to McCormick’s book launch, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee released a new book, “Chameleon:” David McCormick’s Real Record, which details McCormick’s “MAGA Makeover,” his job creation pledge that “was never realized,” and his philosophy that “when China succeeds, the United States succeeds.”

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Heartland Signal: David McCormick ramps up anti-China rhetoric despite previous investments

By Richard Eberwein

May 23, 2023

Key points:

• Probable Pennsylvania Senate candidate David McCormick (R) recently made an appearance on a podcast last week, where he again called for U.S. economic decoupling with China, despite his pro-China investments in the past.

• McCormick made the comments while on “The Tudor Dixon Podcast,” the former Michigan GOP gubernatorial nominee’s post-election outlet.

• This hard stance against investments in China is likely an attempt by McCormick to cleanse his record of his own economic ties to the Chinese Communist Party-controlled nation with another Senate run on the horizon.
  
  
• As the CEO of a hedge fund called Bridgewater Associates, McCormick oversaw investments worth billions of dollars in Chinese corporations like Alibaba and Baidu. Both of these companies assisted the Chinese government with researching and developing invasive surveillance technology, which was praised by Bridgewater representatives.

• Prior to his role with Bridgewater, McCormick also served as the CEO of a software firm called FreeMarkets, where he heavily invested in another Chinese corporation, Huawei. Huawei was found to have deep ties with the Chinese military, and the U.S. government ceased all exports to the company last February over security concerns.

• As recently as 2020, McCormick spoke against economic decoupling with China, saying it would harm both China and the U.S.

• This long track record of Chinese economic ties contributed to McCormick’s narrow loss in the Republican Senate primary in Pennsylvania last year.
  
  
• Now with Pennsylvania’s other Senate seat up in 2024, which is currently held by Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D), McCormick is looking to rewrite his past to gain the support he couldn’t muster against Oz last May.

See also: ICYMI: “McCormick can’t seem to figure out whether he’s for or against China” [Heartland Signal]; New York Times: The Art of the MAGA Makeover; Bloomberg: The Bridgewater CEO Who Went Full Maga; 90.5 WESA: David McCormick’s record on job creation may give false impression to Pennsylvania voters; The Philadelphia Inquirer: David McCormick’s longtime praise for China and trade could bite his Pa. Senate run.

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