GOP Senate contenders aren’t shy about wanting Trump’s approval. But in Pennsylvania, it’s awkward

By MARC LEVY
Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Since he became a force in Republican politics, Donald Trump has figured prominently in U.S. Senate races, shaping which GOP contenders get nominated. But that’s not happening in Pennsylvania. There, the likely Republican nominee, David McCormick, and Trump seem to be ignoring each other. McCormick — an ex-hedge fund CEO — is trying to beat Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, the best-known political name in Pennsylvania. For McCormick, there’s the additional baggage of Trump’s tongue-lashings as Trump worked to defeat McCormick in Pennsylvania’s 2022 Senate primary race. Theirs is a complicated relationship that Democrats say is fraught with danger for McCormick and pollsters say steepens his uphill climb against Casey.