Dave McCormick

Dave McCormick
Born	David Harold McCormick 17 8, 1965
Birthplace	Washington, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businessman, former Army officer
Title	United States Senator from Pennsylvania
Known for	U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, CEO of Bridgewater Associates
Education	United States Military Academy (BS) Princeton University (MA, PhD)
Children	6
Awards	Bronze Star
Website	[https://www.mccormick.senate.gov Official site]

David Harold McCormick (born August 17, 1965) is an American politician, businessman, and former United States Army officer serving as the junior United States senator from Pennsylvania since January 2025. A member of the Republican Party, McCormick's path to the Senate wound through the battlefields of the Gulf War, the halls of Princeton University, the corridors of the George W. Bush administration, and the upper echelons of global finance as CEO of Bridgewater Associates, one of the world's largest hedge funds. He defeated three-term Democratic incumbent Bob Casey Jr. in the 2024 election, a result that drew national attention for its upset nature. Before entering electoral politics, McCormick served in multiple senior positions in the Bush administration, including as Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs and Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security. His military career, which spanned from 1987 to 1992, included service with the 82nd Airborne Division during the Gulf War, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star. McCormick earned a Ph.D. from Princeton University and spent more than a decade in senior leadership roles at Bridgewater Associates before stepping down to pursue a career in public office.

Early Life

David Harold McCormick was born on August 17, 1965, in Washington, Pennsylvania, a small city in southwestern Pennsylvania. His father, James H. McCormick, was a prominent figure in the region and served as the first chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. McCormick grew up in a family with strong ties to public service and education in western Pennsylvania.

McCormick's upbringing in rural Pennsylvania shaped many of the themes he would later emphasize in his political career, including manufacturing, economic competitiveness, and the concerns of working-class communities. The region around Washington, Pennsylvania, situated in Washington County, has long been associated with the coal, steel, and natural gas industries, and McCormick would frequently reference his roots in the area throughout his career in business and government.

After completing his secondary education, McCormick pursued admission to the United States Military Academy at West Point, reflecting an early commitment to military service. He was accepted and enrolled at the academy, beginning a trajectory that would take him from the military into academia, government, and finance over the following decades.

Education

McCormick graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree. His time at West Point provided both his academic foundation and his commission as an officer in the United States Army.

After completing his military service in 1992, McCormick pursued graduate studies at Princeton University, one of the nation's most prestigious institutions. At Princeton, he earned both a Master of Arts degree and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in 1996. His doctoral work at Princeton's School of Public and International Affairs focused on issues at the intersection of economics and national security, subjects that would define much of his subsequent career in both government and the private sector.

In 2021, McCormick received an honorary degree from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in recognition of his contributions to public service and business.

Career

Military Service

Upon graduating from West Point in 1987, McCormick was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army. He served on active duty from 1987 to 1992, rising to the rank of captain. McCormick was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, one of the Army's premier rapid-deployment formations, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

During the Gulf War in 1991, McCormick deployed to Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division. For his service during the conflict, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, a decoration recognizing meritorious achievement or service in a combat zone. McCormick's military experience, particularly his service as a paratrooper in a combat theater, became a defining element of his public identity and was frequently cited during his later political campaigns and government service. He left active duty in 1992 to pursue graduate education at Princeton University.

Early Business Career

Following the completion of his Ph.D. at Princeton in 1996, McCormick entered the private sector. He joined the management consulting and technology sectors during a period of rapid growth in the American economy. McCormick served as CEO of several technology and e-commerce companies during the late 1990s and early 2000s, a period that coincided with the dot-com bubble and its aftermath.

Among his notable business roles prior to government service, McCormick served in a leadership capacity at Ariba, an enterprise software company. His work in the technology sector brought him into contact with issues of international commerce, export controls, and economic policy that would prove directly relevant to his later government positions.

George W. Bush Administration

McCormick held three successive senior positions in the George W. Bush administration between 2005 and 2009, each dealing with aspects of international economics, trade, and national security.

Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security

In 2005, McCormick was nominated and confirmed as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, a position within the United States Department of Commerce responsible for overseeing export controls, defense trade, and industrial base policies. He assumed the role on October 7, 2005, succeeding Kenneth I. Juster. In this capacity, McCormick managed the Bureau of Industry and Security, which administers regulations governing the export of dual-use technologies and other sensitive items. He served in this position until August 2006.

Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs

In August 2006, McCormick moved to the White House, where he was appointed as the Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs. This was a newly established position, and McCormick was the first person to hold the role. In this capacity, he advised President Bush on the intersection of economic policy and national security, coordinating interagency responses to global economic developments. He served in this role until August 2007.

Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs

In August 2007, McCormick was appointed as the Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs, succeeding Timothy D. Adams. This position placed him at the center of U.S. international economic and financial policy during a period of growing turbulence in global financial markets. McCormick served in this role during the onset of the global financial crisis, working alongside Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and other senior officials in crafting the U.S. government's response to the crisis.

A 2008 profile in The Washington Times described McCormick's role in international economic diplomacy during this period, noting his work in persuading foreign governments and international financial institutions to cooperate in stabilizing the global economy. McCormick's tenure as Under Secretary ended on January 20, 2009, with the conclusion of the Bush administration. He was succeeded by Lael Brainard, who was later nominated by President Barack Obama.

McCormick's time in the Bush administration, which spanned the Commerce Department, the National Security Council, and the Treasury Department, gave him extensive experience in international trade, export controls, financial regulation, and economic diplomacy—subjects he would continue to engage with in both the private sector and, eventually, electoral politics.

Bridgewater Associates

After leaving the Bush administration in January 2009, McCormick joined Bridgewater Associates, the Connecticut-based hedge fund founded by Ray Dalio that manages assets for institutional investors worldwide. He initially served as president of the firm.

In 2017, as part of a broader leadership transition at Bridgewater, McCormick was elevated to co-chief executive officer (co-CEO) of the firm. This change occurred as Ray Dalio stepped down from the co-CEO role he had reassumed, in what was described as a management restructuring aimed at transitioning the firm's leadership to a new generation.

By 2020, McCormick had become the sole CEO of Bridgewater Associates, overseeing one of the world's largest hedge fund operations. During his tenure as CEO, the firm continued to manage tens of billions of dollars in assets for sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, endowments, and other large institutional investors. A 2019 profile in the Financial Times discussed the firm's evolving strategy and leadership under McCormick's direction.

McCormick's name was also mentioned in national security circles during this period. In 2019, Foreign Policy listed him among potential candidates for Secretary of Defense following the resignation of Jim Mattis, although he was not ultimately nominated for the position.

McCormick stepped down as CEO of Bridgewater Associates in 2022 to pursue a seat in the United States Senate.

2022 Senate Campaign

In January 2022, McCormick formally announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for the United States Senate seat in Pennsylvania being vacated by retiring Republican senator Pat Toomey. The announcement came shortly after reports that McCormick had informed Bridgewater staff he was close to a decision on entering the race.

The 2022 Republican primary was a competitive contest, with McCormick facing television personality Mehmet Oz and several other candidates. McCormick campaigned on his military record, business experience, and service in the Bush administration. The primary was closely contested, and McCormick narrowly lost to Oz. Oz went on to lose the general election to Democratic candidate John Fetterman.

2024 Senate Campaign and Election

After his narrow defeat in the 2022 primary, McCormick launched a second campaign for the U.S. Senate in the 2024 election cycle. This time, he sought to challenge three-term Democratic incumbent Bob Casey Jr., who had represented Pennsylvania in the Senate since 2007. McCormick secured the Republican nomination and ran a general election campaign focused on economic policy, energy, national security, and Pennsylvania's manufacturing base.

In the November 2024 general election, McCormick defeated Casey in a result that received national attention. The victory was notable given Casey's long tenure and the historical difficulty Republicans had faced in winning statewide races in Pennsylvania in recent cycles.

U.S. Senate

McCormick was sworn in as the junior United States senator from Pennsylvania on January 3, 2025, succeeding Bob Casey Jr. He serves alongside senior senator John Fetterman.

In the Senate, McCormick has engaged on a range of policy issues. In February 2026, he authored an opinion piece in the Washington Examiner in which he outlined an economic vision for Pennsylvania, arguing that the state needed to reject what he termed "four horsemen of decline" in order to capitalize on economic opportunities.

McCormick has also been involved in debates over election integrity legislation. In February 2026, he spoke on the Senate floor in support of the SAVE America Act, a proposal that would mandate proof of citizenship and photo identification for voting, citing the case of Chester County, Pennsylvania, as evidence of the need for such measures. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the specific issues McCormick cited in Chester County would not have been addressed by the proposed legislation. The ACLU of Pennsylvania issued a statement in response to McCormick's characterization of the Chester County situation, disputing his account.

On immigration and government funding, McCormick participated in congressional debates in early 2026 over Department of Homeland Security funding and the role of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in carrying out the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies.

McCormick has also focused on Pennsylvania's manufacturing sector. In February 2026, he toured North American Forgemasters and ELLWOOD Crankshaft & Machine in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, highlighting the importance of domestic manufacturing and the industrial base.

Personal Life

McCormick has six children. His wife, Dina Powell McCormick, is a former Deputy National Security Advisor in the Trump administration who also served in the George W. Bush administration. She later held senior positions at Goldman Sachs. A 2021 profile published by the George W. Bush Presidential Center discussed her career in government and the private sector.

McCormick has maintained ties to western Pennsylvania throughout his career. Despite spending significant portions of his professional life in Connecticut (where Bridgewater Associates is headquartered) and the Washington, D.C. area, he has emphasized his roots in Washington, Pennsylvania, and his connection to the state's communities and industries.

Outside of his political and business activities, McCormick has been associated with several nonprofit and institutional boards. He served on the Board of Governors of the USO and was affiliated with the Hospital for Special Surgery in a leadership capacity.

Recognition

McCormick's military service earned him the Bronze Star Medal for his service during the Gulf War with the 82nd Airborne Division.

In 2021, he received an honorary degree from Dickinson College, located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

McCormick's career has attracted coverage from major national and international publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, Foreign Policy, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, among others, reflecting the breadth of his involvement across military, government, business, and political domains. A 2010 review in The New York Times referenced his work in the context of broader discussions about economic policy.

His election to the U.S. Senate in 2024, defeating a three-term incumbent, was itself a notable achievement that drew substantial media attention and was characterized as an upset given the competitive nature of Pennsylvania's political landscape.