(The Center Square) – Dave McCormick says his opponent is in lock step with the president, has a voting record detrimental to Pennsylvania and the country, and offered a haymaker description of the state’s two U.S. senators.

The seventh generation Pennsylvanian was in the Lehigh Valley on Monday afternoon, a day ahead of the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, delivering his comments at the Sportsmen for Dave rally in Coplay. He and Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. are not challenged in the primary and headed for a showdown in November.

As McCormick took the podium, he immediately told his audience about Casey and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman. Pennsylvania, he said, has two senators – “one who won’t wear a suit, and another who’s an empty suit.”

Among those campaigning for him was U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and founding member of the House Freedom Caucus.

McCormick is a graduate of West Point, combat veteran and Bronze Star recipient. He is also a businessman and previously served in the federal government as under secretary of Treasury and deputy national security advisor.

Several of the issues he is campaigning on include the economy, crime, border security, and Pennsylvania’s energy sector. His website states he is a moderate on abortion and if elected will not serve more than two terms.

“This is the kind of guy you want at this point in American history,” said Jordan. “We need someone with McCormick’s diverse background, and his dedication to the values and principles that made our country the greatest nation ever.”

Jordan said this election is important to protect not only First Amendment rights – which he says are under attack by the Biden administration – but also the Second and Fourth Amendments. The First deals with freedoms, such as religion, the press and speech; the Second is the people’s right to bear arms; and the Fourth protects from unreasonable searches and seizures.

“We need people in the United States Senate who want to protect the Constitution and the Bill of Rights – and Dave McCormick is that kind of guy,” Jordan said.

Bill Bachenberg, owner of Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays, where the event was hosted, introduced McCormick, noting his recent endorsement from former President Donald Trump.

With 60% of Pennsylvanians working paycheck to paycheck and getting squeezed for food, fuel, and rent, McCormick said Bidenomics is not working for them. In addition, he said the national debt is unsustainable and “Casey has been with Joe Biden on excessive spending every step of the way.”

He called the border a disaster and said 4,000 Pennsylvanians died from fentanyl last year. McCormick said Casey has voted for sanctuary cities, against more money for the border patrol, and against laws allowing prosecution of people committing felonies who are living in or have entered the country illegally.

He talked of what he calls a breakdown of law and order and of police shortages in cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The candidate said he has spoken to people outside of urban areas who are concerned crime is coming to their communities.

Criticizing Biden and Casey for their “war on energy” in Pennsylvania, he said they have made drilling impossible and pipeline permits difficult to obtain. He also expressed concern over a loss of potential jobs and the state’s dependency on lithium batteries and solar from China.

“At a time when China is our biggest adversary, we become more dependent,” he said.

McCormick said America needs leadership and accused his opponent of putting his head down when tough issues come up. He said Casey has voted for all the policies that have put the country in such a precarious position.

“If you think the status quo is OK, and we are pretty much where we need to be, do not vote for me, I’m not your guy,” he said. He added that the only people he owes anything to are the people of Pennsylvania.

Chadd Horton, a member of the Northampton County Republican Committee who immigrated to the United States from Peru in 1992, said he attended because this country has given him a lot and he thinks it is going in the wrong direction.

“It’s a beautiful country,” he said. “I don’t understand how people who were born on its soil can hate it.”

He believes this election is a referendum on the 2020 lockdowns, there were double standards that victimized small businesses, and it should be a catalyst for people to go to the polls.

Also attending the rally were state Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Allentown, and Zachari Halkias, candidate for state representative in District 183.