GOP's Pennsylvania frontrunner may have same glaring vulnerability as Dr. Oz

Celebrity TV doctor Mehmet Oz's GOP Senate campaign in Pennsylvania crashed and burned in 2022, in part due to the fact that he had only tenuous ties to the state and had for years lived in New Jersey. Now, for the Senate race in 2024, the GOP's frontrunner — former hedge fund manager David McCormick — appears to have a very similar issue, reported the Associated Press on Monday.

McCormick, for his part, has done his best on the campaign trail to play up his Pennsylvania ties, talking about growing up there and owning property in the state.

However, according to the AP, "While McCormick does own a home in Pittsburgh, a review of public records, real estate listings and footage from recent interviews indicates he still lives on Connecticut’s 'Gold Coast,' one of the densest concentrations of wealth in America."

Per the report, McCormick leases a $16 million Westport estate including an elevator, a 1,500-bottle wine cellar, and a "private waterfront resort" with a view over the Long Island Sound.

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According to Muhlenberg College political science professor Chris Borick, although McCormick has “more legitimate connections to Pennsylvania than Mehmet Oz,” he is hurting his credibility by spending so much time out of state. He added, “As someone who is aware that he is going to have to confront this, it’s questionable to not really devote yourself.”

McCormick, who competed with Oz unsuccessfully for the Senate nomination in 2022, has also come under criticism for making money off outsourcing jobs to lower-cost countries.

If he is nominated for this contest, he will be taking on Democratic Sen. Bob Casey Jr., who is seeking a fourth term in office.