Glamorous GOP Rep. Beth Van Duyne breaks her silence on love affair with married Georgia Republican Rich McCormick
McCormick was seen stroking Van Duyne's arm during the State of the Union READ MORE: Who is Beth Van Duyne? The Texas GOP Rep, 53
Glamorous GOP Rep. Beth Van Duyne broke her silence on love affair with married Georgia Republican Rich McCormick, confirming that they are 'happily engaged in a relationship.'
DailyMail.com exclusively revealed the pair had developed a particularly cozy relationship just as McCormick and his wife have filed for divorce.
Footage from the March 7 State of the Union address shows McCormick stroking Van Duyne's arm, and sources say this is commonplace for the seemingly smitten pair.
They've been caught arriving at and leaving late night events together, and multiple eyewitnesses have seen the pair holding hands just off the House floor.
Van Duyne told DailyMail.com Friday that Rich and his wife are both 'incredible people' and his marriage has been 'over for quite some time.'
'His marriage has been over for quite some time as I understand it, he's filed for divorce.'
'I'm single. We're both parents of adult children and empty nesters. We are happily engaged in a relationship and beyond that it's a personal issue.'
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Georgia Republican Rep. Rich McCormick and Rep. Beth Van Duyne have developed a particularly cozy relationship just as McCormick and his wife have filed for divorce
Insiders have disclosed new details to DailyMail.com regarding the nature of the pair's supposed relationship which has blossomed on Capitol Hill.
It's hard to miss handsome McCormick and tall lean blonde Van Duyne strolling the halls of Congress, making quite the standout pair in a building filled with old men, staff say.
McCormick, a year and a half into his first congressional term, filed for divorce from his oncologist wife of 12 years, Dr. Debra Miller, on May 3. A mutual restraining order was also filed, DailyMail.com exclusively reported on Thursday.
McCormick and Miller, his second wife, share seven children and live in Suwanee, Georgia.
Miller, meanwhile, has practiced medicine for over 30 years. With her her long, blonde locks it's hard to miss the similarities between her and Van Duyne.
'Rich clearly has a type,' said one source close to the congressman.
When approached about the reasoning for the divorce, Miller texted DailyMail.com: 'I'm sure that he will not be forthcoming.'
Van Duyne has two children with her ex-husband, Chris Wallach, her college sweetheart from their time at Cornell. The pair divorced in 2012 after 17 years of marriage.
As a single mother, she was mayor of Irving, Texas from 2011 to 2017 and also served in the Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Trump administration.
She hasn't been free from scandal in recent years.
In February 2021, Richard Dillard, communications director for her 2020 campaign, took his own life in front of Van Duyne’s home in Irving, Texas.
She's known to love to party and enjoy a nice glass of wine, according to sources with knowledge.
As one of the younger female members of Congress - which is largely dominated by older men - she sparkles among weathered congressmen and has an infectious personality.
One GOP member told DailyMail.com they had seen McCormick and the colleague 'holding hands under the table' at a weekly lunch.
In addition, the member also disclosed that they witnessed Rich 'grab the small of her back' on the House floor during votes.
Another two eyewitnesses say they have seen he and Van Duyne holding hands, with one witnessing it as the pair were leaving votes.
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Footage from the March 7 State of the Union address shows McCormick stroking Van Duyne's arm, and sources say this is commonplace for the seemingly smitten pair
Rich McCormick pictured smiling at Van Duyne during a press conference at the Capitol last June
Beth Van Duyne is seen walking with Rep. Dan Crenshaw in the basement of the Capitol
Texas Republican Van Duyne's office declined to comment on her relationship with McCormick
Rich McCormick is relatively new to Congress
After 12 years of marriage and less than two years into his congressional career, Georgia Republican Rep. Richard McCormick has filed for divorce from his oncologist wife Dr. Debra Miller
Asked if the divorce involved an alleged affair he may have had with a colleague, his soon-to-be ex-wife Miller replied: 'You should ask Rich and his colleague.'
Miller, meanwhile, has practiced oncology for over 30 years.
A third witness told DailyMail.com they had seen the female colleague holding on to the arm of McCormick while walking out of the Longworth Office building late at night.
Asked about the cozy behavior and the divorce, a McCormick spokesperson told DailyMail.com: 'Congressman McCormick and Dr. Miller have been separated for quite some time. He has kept that private and will continue to keep his personal life out of the media spotlight.'
Texas Republican Van Duyne's office declined to comment on her relationship with McCormick.
Rich and his soon-to-be ex-wife were pictured together as recently as over the Christmas holiday.
McCormick's Facebook account says the pair were married on August 16, 2011.
McCormick spent over 20 years as a pilot in both the Marine Corps and the Navy and was also an emergency room physician in Georgia's Gwinnett Medical Center.
He is in his first term in Congress, having joined in January 2023. He ran unsuccessfully for the Georgia's 7th District in 2020 against Democrat Carolyn Bordeaux.
In November McCormick was the lead author of a censure resolution for Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., for "promoting false narratives regarding the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and for calling for the destruction of the state of Israel.'
McCormick says he and his wife have been separated for 'quite some time.' They were pictured together as recently as over the Christmas holiday
McCormick is in his first term in Congress, having joined in January 2023
McCormick's Facebook account says the pair were married on August 16, 2011
The case was filed by McCormick on May 3. A mutual restraining order was also filed
Mccormick, a Marine and Army vet, came to Congress at the start of 2023
McCormick with his oncologist wife and their seven children
Asked if the divorce involved an alleged affair he had with a colleague, Miller replied: 'You should ask Rich and his colleague'
Shortly after that, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who had also introduced a Tlaib censure that was not successful, accused McCormick of getting physically aggressive with her.
Sources told CNN that in a private meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson in December, Greene claimed her male colleague 'grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her' and asked the Speaker to address the issue.
'I understand why there would be a lot of raw emotions following the censure vote given that her censure was tabled and mine passed. My intention was to encourage Rep. Greene by making a friendly gesture,' said McCormick.
He denied getting physically aggressive with her.