Posted on 01/13/2018 6:50:17 AM PST by SandRat
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TUCSON — U.S. Rep. Martha McSally made it official on Friday: She’s running for Jeff Flake’s Senate seat.
McSally, 51, made the announcement at the Tucson Jet Center near Tucson International Airport this morning, then took off in a World War II-era two-seater training plane headed to Phoenix and Prescott to deliver the same message.
“I don't sit quietly and I don't scare easily. When I make promises, I don't interpret them loosely,” McSally told about 200 people, including a strong contingent of veterans. “Should I take an oath as your senator, raising my right hand again, you can be certain of this, I will give my all to protecting our country and to advancing the American leadership and American values in a world that desperately needs them both, and will speak candidly, maybe a little bluntly at times, but always truthfully and never in droning, empty platitudes of the politically correct.”
McSally, who is in her second term serving Congressional District 2, had been close-mouthed about a possible bid for months, only saying she’d make an announcement after the first of the year. She reportedly told congressional colleagues last fall that she planned to make the bid after Flake announced in October that he wouldn’t run for re-election.
McSally acknowledged she has some challenges in the state when it comes to name recognition but pointed out she was named the ninth most-effective member of Congress during her freshman term by the Center for Effective Lawmaking, based on getting bills introduced and passed.
She also addressed President Trump's comment on Thursday in which he criticized protections for immigrants from “s---hole” countries, a reference to Africa, Haiti and El Salvador.
“Well, let me just say I've spoken a little salty behind closed doors as well so I'm not going to throw the first stone on using any language, and I guess there was a dispute as to what was actually said,” McSally said. “...the issue I think he was trying to get to was we need to reform our immigration system, that this lottery system doesn't make any sense.”
The congresswoman joins a crowded GOP field that includes Kelli Ward, a physician who resigned halfway through her second term in the state Legislature to run against John McCain in 2016. Ward lost to McCain in the primary.
But McSally’s toughest test could come from former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a Republican who announced Tuesday that he was in the race. Arpaio, 85, served 24 years as sheriff before he was ousted in 2016 by Democrat Paul Penzone. Arpaio, dubbed “America’s Toughest Sheriff,” had seen a dramatic drop in popularity after he became embroiled in accusations of racial profiling during immigration sweeps. He was found guilty in July of failing to comply with court orders to end racial profiling practices in his department. On Aug. 25, after declaring Arpaio an “American patriot,” Trump pardoned him.
McSally, an Air Force Academy graduate and the first U.S. woman to fly combat missions in enemy territory, lost two bids for the House before narrowly defeating former U.S. Rep. Ron Barber for the seat in 2014. She scored a decisive re-election win in 2016 over Democrat Matt Heinz.
Democrats in the Senate primary include Deedra Abboud, Bob Bishop, Cheryl Fowler, Chris Russell and U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, who is considered the front-runner.
Along with Arpaio, Ward and McSally in the race are Craig Brittain and Nicholas Tutura.
McSally would probably crush any Democrat, but it's hard to say whether she would be an improvement in office over Flake.
Ward is a good conservative, but she offends the usual suspects and would have a hard race against the media to beat "high school Communist" Kyrsten Sinema.
Thanks for your info.
I like Joe, but you are right, he is to old, support Kelly Ward, to hell with the NeverTrumper Flake clone McSally.
Pick someone who can win. Also, someone the GOPe doesn’t loathe and won’t completely kneecap. The is person is replacing Flake and the only real absolute should be they aren’t rabidly anti-Trump and won’t be on “the shows” every day trashing Trump’s tweets. As far as I’m concerned Mcsally would be fine. Not picking anyone yet though
Excellent question! What's wrong with South Carolina that they keep electing "Light in the Loafers" Lyndsey?
Ambitious
Ward needs to drop out. She’ll get her chance later.
KELLI WARD
Let’s see: First woman pilot to command a combat fighter squadron flying in 325 combat missions and voted 9th most effective Congressperson vs far left radical lesbian loon Democrat Sinema who once lived in an abandoned gas station for 3 years and had to choose between running for office or running to find a public toilet. Tough decision.
If Roy Moore had been supported by the GOP, he likely would have won. Arpaio can win, but not without Mitch’s support. Will Mitch do it or just be stupid.... I say if his past is any indication, he’ll be stupid.
The person who needs to drop out is Joe Arpaio. He has ZERO chance of winning a statewide senate race.
No, Arpaio CANNOT win. Just stop it.
Where in h*ll do we get these hockey sticks?
Can the Repubs not get serious and prepare some real conservatives?
What we do not need is another McDork with the brains of an amoeba coupled to complete inability to think.
I know. We keep getting told these places are conservative but they don’t act like it. At least in my sh*thole, they say they’re leftists and they act like it!
I read someplace that she has voted 100% for the DJT agenda,so far?
Oh, and one other thing....anyone that votes for Arpaio should be shot. And I love Sheriff Joe.
AZ is not going to elect an 85 yr old FRESHMAN senator.
I would like to remind everyone that the only reason we have that imbecile Claire McCaskill in the Senate is because HER campaign commissioned a poll. A poll that told Todd Akin that he would beat McCaskill, among other GOP candidates. It was leaked to his people,so he stayed in a race he should have exited. But he stubbornly stayed in. And the poll was bogus, of course. He lost and that witch won
I’m looking at YOU, Sheriff Joe.
As I moved to Arizona five and a half years ago, I am following all these races.
Arizona has a single primary for each party, easy switch voting, and no run off. This means the candidate with a simple plurality wins.
McCain always used this to get other fringe candidates to run against any conservative challenger and thereby he would win with 51% like last time or with even 48% if he tripped.
Flake ran as a conservative but voted for the more Mormon position of open borders.
Dr. Kelli Ward held John McCain to 51% and with more money might have beaten him but McCain’s wife is wealthy and they pour in anything needed.
Dr Ward announce early and polls showed her smashing Flake for the first month she announced. That is why he dropped out. The downtown Rino money tried to get a past Regent to run who had been in AZ politics for years but he passed. Instead, they seduced McSally to leave the seat she had struggled so hard to get. Then the Rino establishment gave Sheriff Joe a big donation after he lost Maricopa County.
That causes the Trump supporters to think of leaving Ward and going to Arapio. But Maricopa County is over 60% of the entire state’s population in one county. If Joe loses in his own county to the Dems he will never win state wide in the General. It is old Rino power play to get McSally in as “their” candidate.
There are plenty of AZ people on FR that really know the score. One of them described McSally as “McCain with piloting skills.”
The same divide and conquer free-for-all is happening in the 8th district Trent Franks’ congressional seat special election. The downtown money has got Never Trumper Bob Stumps running there.
The Governor has said that the replacement appointment for McCain when he dies or resigns will not be anyone who is actively seeking the seat, so who knows what happens there.
Senate Primary for the seat previously held by Flake — Vote for Dr. Kelli Ward, the Conservative who can win the General.
Congressional Primary Special Election Seat for 8th District — vote for Paul Lovas (Trump state chair) or Steve Montenegro (solid conservative) both with FR people behind them.
McCain seat appointment to serve out the term. Write the Gov and stress how important a replacement in line with the Trump agenda is to our state’s future.
How is that for an opinionated summary?
Having lived there for a few years, I will say that for retirement purposes, it does present an interesting case, and there’s a lot that an active person can do. That said...July and August are miserable because of the heat.
On politics, the urbanization around Tucson and Phoenix have made both liberal magnets. The two universities are part of the problem, but folks tend to want Republicans-in-name-only (RINOs) who mostly say conservative things and then wink at everyone. The western and northwest part of the state probably stands more conservative than Phoenix/Tucson region. That would include Flagstaff and Kingman.
Thanks for the info. One of the reasons I reject it as a retirement place is that extraordinary heat. I couldn’t even take LA’s heat in the summer! And while I can’t stand Dims, I hate Rinos even more. Too bad. I do plan on visiting out there, though. Beautiful state.
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