In a sweeping and deeply personal maiden speech Thursday on the Senate floor, Sen. David H. McCormick, R-Penn., outlined a bold vision for Pennsylvania and the nation, striking themes of economic renewal, American leadership, bipartisan cooperation, and urgent action in the face of rising geopolitical threats.
Rising for the first time in the chamber, McCormick invoked Pennsylvania’s historical legacy and pledged to meet today’s challenges with the same resolve that defined earlier generations of the Keystone State.
He cited Founding Father Robert Morris, U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur, and the steelworkers of Pittsburgh as touchstones in his journey from a small-town upbringing to his new role as Pennsylvania’s junior senator.
“I am a seventh-generation Pennsylvanian,” McCormick said. “From the wrestling mats of Shikellamy to the battlefields of Iraq, I’ve learned the value of toughness, hard work, and resilience. Now I bring those values to the United States Senate, with one goal: to deliver for the people of Pennsylvania.”
Central to McCormick’s address was a highlight of last week’s Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit held at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
The event, which he said attracted President Donald Trump, Cabinet members, CEOs, labor leaders, and policymakers from both parties, announced more than $90 billion in new private and public investments in Pennsylvania’s energy and technology infrastructure.
“These investments — ranging from new natural gas and nuclear power to data centers powered by hydroelectricity — will create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs and put Pennsylvania at the center of America’s AI and energy revolutions,” McCormick said.
“What we’re witnessing is not just an economic boom. It’s a new chapter for American leadership.”
The senator hailed the role of western Pennsylvania’s Westinghouse in leading plans to construct ten large-scale nuclear reactors by the end of the decade.
He also praised efforts to revive working-class communities once left behind by industrial decline.
“In towns like Bloomsburg and along the Monongahela River, we are seeing the seeds of renewal,” he said. “President Trump and I promised to restore the American Dream — and we are delivering.”
McCormick, a West Point graduate and Gulf War veteran, emphasized the need to confront the Chinese Communist Party, which he described as the greatest long-term threat to America’s economic and military power.
“This is a competition we must win,” McCormick declared. “The future of artificial intelligence, energy, and industrial strength cannot be ceded to Beijing.”
Drawing on his own experience as a soldier and CEO of a global investment firm, McCormick argued for a robust, innovation-driven national strategy — one that includes public-private partnerships, vocational training, and renewed investment in American manufacturing.
McCormick offered a moving account of his upbringing in a small-town Pennsylvania, sharing memories of baling hay, trimming Christmas trees, and wrestling in high school gyms across the region.
His journey took him to West Point, where he absorbed the values of “Duty, Honor, Country,” and then to the battlefields of Operation Desert Storm.
“I gave up a successful business career because I could see that despite the strength of the American people, our future is threatened by stagnation and decline,” he said.
McCormick also honored his family — including his wife Dina and their six daughters — for their support through “two hard-fought campaigns.”
He spoke emotionally about the challenges faced by veterans, referencing the tragic suicide of Michael Wargo, the son of family friends from Lehighton, who returned home from Afghanistan with deep wounds.
“We lose 18 veterans a day to suicide,” McCormick said. “We must do better. We will do better.”
In alignment with Trump, McCormick hailed recent policy wins, including the “One Big Beautiful Bill” — a sweeping legislative package that delivered permanent tax relief for working families.
He touted steep declines in illegal border crossings, new resources for immigration enforcement, and a decisive U.S. military strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure under President Trump’s leadership.
“The results speak for themselves,” McCormick said. “We are making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”
While firmly grounded in conservative values, McCormick made a notable appeal to bipartisan cooperation.
He praised his partnership with Pennsylvania’s senior senator, Democrat John Fetterman, on efforts to combat antisemitism and expressed his desire to work across the aisle on behalf of all Pennsylvanians.
“My job is to deliver for the people of Pennsylvania — whether they voted for me or not,” McCormick said. “We’re going to have some tough fights in this chamber.
But when I look back, I want to say I worked with anyone who shared our mission: delivering results and much-needed change.”
Closing with a nod to Pennsylvania’s central role in American history — from the Constitutional Convention to Gettysburg — McCormick underscored the stakes of the present moment.
“We face a make-or-break moment for America’s future,” he said. “But I’ve seen what this country can do — on the battlefield, in the boardroom, and on Main Street. I know we can rise to the challenge.”
Quoting Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln, McCormick concluded with a pledge:
“This moment demands bold, innovative leadership. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania — and this senator — can be counted on to do our part.”
With that, McCormick yielded the floor — leaving behind a speech that many observers say marks the emergence of a serious new voice in American politics.
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