- McCormick defended Georgia's Heartbeat Law and denied its role in Amber Thurman's death, claiming it did not prevent medical care in cases of fetal demise.
- Georgia's Heartbeat Law bans most abortions after six weeks, with McCormick stating mothers are always protected but acknowledging challenges in accessing abortion care for complications.
- McCormick campaigned on his support for the Heartbeat Bill and emphasized it as a state issue rather than a federal one.
- McCormick joined an amicus brief supporting restrictions on abortion pills, arguing the FDA exceeded its authority and endangered health with its approval of mifepristone.
- McCormick raised concerns about complications from mail-order abortion drugs and cited a rise in related emergency room visits.
- McCormick strongly supported "Born-Alive" legislation, advocating for life-saving care for infants born after failed abortions, framing it as common decency.
- McCormick consistently backed fetal personhood, stating life begins at conception or when a heartbeat is detected.
- McCormick voted to prohibit restrictions on federal funding for crisis pregnancy centers and opposed efforts to limit their operations.
- McCormick celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade, describing it as a victory for protecting unborn children.
- McCormick supported measures like the Hyde Amendment to block federal funds for abortion services and voted against VA funding for abortions or related counseling.
- McCormick proposed adjustments to Social Security to reduce costs.
- McCormick said that Republicans have to “deny” Social Security.
- McCormick suggested raising the retirement age due to longer life expectancies.
- McCormick highlighted fraud and waste in Social Security and called for Elon Musk to fix it.
- McCormick advocated for targeted spending cuts in mandatory programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
- McCormick opposed the Affordable Care Act (ACA), criticizing its expansion of coverage and extra administrative layers while advocating for pricing transparency and competition.
- McCormick supported a full repeal of the ACA and proposed replacing it with funded Health Savings Accounts and competitive pricing models to lower costs.
- McCormick called for Medicaid cuts and said it was a “big part of the problem.”
- McCormick highlighted waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid systems, advocating for streamlined processes using AI to reduce administrative costs.
- McCormick warned about the financial strain of Medicaid expansion and suggested shifting its cost burden to states.
- McCormick emphasized hundreds of billions of dollars in potential savings from entitlement spending through efficiency and program cuts.
- McCormick proposed Medicaid and Medicare adjustments over time to prevent bankruptcy while maintaining essential services for current beneficiaries.
- McCormick supported federal cuts and firings led by DOGE, including reductions in CDC staffing.
- McCormick praised the use of AI to eliminate duplicated jobs and reduce government size.
- McCormick faced backlash at a town hall over DOGE layoffs, with constituents criticizing the approach and Musk's involvement. He downplayed concerns about CDC firings, claiming many roles were duplicative with AI capabilities.
- Constituents expressed frustration, accusing McCormick of failing to advocate for them effectively amidst rushed federal layoffs.
- McCormick compared angry attendees to January 6th insurrectionists, leading to further outrage. He suggested that Democrats were responsible for disruptive behavior at the town hall.
- McCormick acknowledged a need for better GOP messaging around the DOGE cuts.
- McCormick labeled many critics of DOGE as “socialist communists” and accused them of rejecting accountability and supporting unchecked government spending.
¶ McCormick Peddled Antivax, Fluoride, And COVID Conspiracies
- McCormick, a doctor, promoted unproven COVID-19 treatments and downplayed the severity of the virus, leading to misinformation complaints before the Georgia Medical Board.
- McCormick claimed that herd immunity was achieved during the pandemic, despite public health experts refuting this claim.
- McCormick downplayed the importance of COVID vaccinations for teenagers, even as pediatric cases surged shortly after his comments.
- McCormick faced criticism from health professionals for spreading misinformation that undermined evidence-based public health principles.
- McCormick suggested a possible link between fluoride and autism, expressing concerns about the unintended consequences of fluoride exposure.
- McCormick discussed the potential link between the MMR vaccine and autism.
- McCormick opposed free school lunch programs, suggesting that students should work at places like McDonald's or Burger King to pay for their meals instead of relying on government aid. McCormick criticized children who benefit from free lunches, labeling them as "sponging off the government" and discussing the issue as related to "the inner city problem."
- Nearly 1.7 million school children in Georgia depended on meal assistance in 2023, highlighting the widespread need for these programs.
- McCormick expressed disbelief that two-thirds of Georgians required federal lunch aid and supported freezing future spending on such programs.
- McCormick echoed Donald Trump’s claims about voter fraud during the 2020 elections and refused to concede his loss in 2020.
- In May 2022, McCormick stated he was told he won the election before eventually being informed he had lost by over 10,000 votes.
- McCormick accused Georgia’s elections of rampant fraud but avoided directly addressing Trump’s victory claims.
- McCormick supported Dinesh D’Souza’s voter fraud conspiracies, alleging ballot drop boxes were misused in Georgia’s 2020 election.
- McCormick broadly accused Democrats of rigging elections, claiming they relied on tactics such as federalizing elections, mail-in voting, and ballot harvesting.
- May 2024: Rep. Beth Van Duyne confirmed her relationship with Rep. Rich McCormick after he filed for divorce from his second wife of 12 years.
- Van Duyne stated McCormick’s marriage had been over for quite some time and that he had been separated.
- McCormick and Van Duyne had reportedly been romantically involved for more than a year, appearing together publicly at House GOP conferences and on the chamber floor.
- McCormick’s divorce case was filed on May 3, 2024, accompanied by a mutual restraining order standard in divorce cases.
- McCormick’s estranged wife expressed skepticism about him being forthcoming regarding his affair.
- April 2025: McCormick described his relationship with Van Duyne as a “great relationship” and highlighted their shared legislative objectives and district challenges.
¶ McCormick Voted In Both Florida And Georgia Until 2019 And Blurred Lines On His Residency To Gain A Tax Advantage
- McCormick claimed he voted for Trump via absentee ballot in 2016 but records show no absentee ballot requested in Georgia or North Carolina; he instead requested one from Florida where he resided 15 years earlier.
- From 2005 to 2019, McCormick was simultaneously registered to vote in Georgia and Florida and cast ballots in elections in both states during that period.
- McCormick was registered in Florida from 2000 to 2019 but moved to Georgia around 2005; his campaign declined to clarify whether he filed Florida taxes while living in Georgia.
- McCormick attempted to blame Georgia’s Secretary of State for not removing him from Florida’s voter roll; however, the SoS refuted this claim, stating it was the voter’s responsibility, and opened an investigation into McCormick’s voting record.
- McCormick downplayed his constituents' concerns regarding the economic pain from Trump's trade war, focusing on long-term benefits instead of short-term consequences. He dismissed the impact of market volatility triggered by tariffs, emphasizing the need to address the national debt crisis.
- McCormick admitted there could be minor inflation due to the trade war but believed it would adjust over time.
- McCormick praised their use as a leverage tool to negotiate for better global trade agreements. He claimed Trump brought 70 countries to the table for zero-zero tariffs agreements.
McCormick Was An Anti-Abortion Extremist
McCormick Supported Gutting Social Security
McCormick Opposed Access To Affordable Health Care, Including For Seniors
McCormick Backed DOGE Efforts At Georgians’ Expense
McCormick Peddled Antivax, Fluoride, And COVID Conspiracies
McCormick Opposed Feeding Hungry Kids
McCormick Was An Election Denier
McCormick Left His Second Wife For Texas Representative Beth Van Duyne
McCormick Voted In Both Florida And Georgia Until 2019 And Blurred Lines On His Residency To Gain A Tax Advantage
McCormick Supported Trump’s Economy-Wrecking Tariffs