For a still-undeclared candidate, Republican David McCormick sure seems to be doing the right things toward a 2024 Senate run against incumbent Bob Casey.

The political action committee started by McCormick  – Pennsylvania Rising – received a $1 million donation in June from Jeff Yass, known to be the richest person in the Commonwealth and a GOP mega donor.

The Montgomery County financier who founded the trading firm Susquehanna International Group was fourth among all individual donors during the 2022 election cycle, trailing only George Soros, Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein and Ken Griffin.

Yass and his wife, Janine, gave over $56 million to groups during that timeframe, including $10M individual gifts to Club For Growth Action and the School Freedom Fund.

On its website, Pennsylvania Rising says it “is fighting to protect our conservative values by supporting Republican candidates running for state office in Pennsylvania. We will take on the challenges facing Pennsylvania Republicans and serve as an avenue to address important issues including vote-by-mail and voter registration disparities.”

According to the Federal Election Commission, a leadership PAC is a political committee that is directly or indirectly established, financed, maintained or controlled by a candidate or an individual holding a federal office. The committee is not an authorized committee of the candidate or office holder, and is not affiliated with an authorized committee of a candidate or office holder. Members of Congress and other political leaders often establish these nonconnected committees to support candidates for federal and nonfederal offices.

Pennsylvania Rising is chaired by Allegheny County GOP chair Sam DeMarco and recently helped fundraising and contributed a donation to the campaign of Republican candidate Katie Ford to failed in her bid to land the 163rd Pennsylvania House District seat in a May special election.

Yass backed McCormick during his unsuccessful Senate primary run in 2022 and lent his monetary support to Mehmet Oz in the general election.

“It’s time for Pennsylvania Republicans to start winning again, and we do that by devoting resources to candidates who can bring home a victory this November,” said McCormick in a statement. “I’m proud that Pennsylvania Rising hit the ground running and am grateful to all those who are supporting this team effort.” 

A recent Commonwealth Foundation Poll showed mixed numbers from respondents to a future McCormick run. He topped all Republicans among names those surveyed would like to see run for Senate at 17 percent. But among GOP respondents, McCormick trailed Oz, 28-25 percent.

The former hedge fund chief at Bridgewater Associates is also trying to erase a $14.4 million debt from 2022.

Casey announced on Wednesday that his reelection campaign raised $4 million in the second quarter of the year – the highest quarterly total the three-term Senator has ever achieved.

This impressive fundraising quarter shows Bob Casey is one of the most formidable incumbent Senators in the country, with the statewide support to prove it,” said Tiernan Donohue, Campaign Manager for Bob Casey for Senate.