Kelli Ward at Yuma Primary Rally for Senate: National Reciprocity and Hearing Protection Act

Gun Watch ^ | 29 August, 2018 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Dr. Kelli Ward had a campaign appearance in Yuma on Saturday night, the 25th of August, for the Republican primary for the Senate. Yuma was the last stop at the end of a whirlwind bus tour around the state.

I was able to attend and ask Dr. Ward a question about gun issues beyond the usual "I support the Second Amendment" boilerplate.

I arrived before 6 p.m. I ran into many of the local political activists. It was clear Dr. Ward was getting much more attention than she had in 2016. I had attended a similar rally in 2016, and the attendance was only about a quarter of what was at this rally.

There was significant media presence. I had a talk with a reporter from Japan who works out of New York City.  We traded cards.

Ward has developed strongly as a candidate in two years. Her manner was polished. She did not make any obvious mistakes. She had a strong command of the  issues.  She was able to bring the crowd to its feet in standing ovations.

The stop reminded me of what I have seen of Donald Trump rallies, in miniature. The enthusiasm of the crowd was high, and contagious.

The difference from 2016 was the enormous amount of media ads in opposition to Dr. Ward. It is the worst case of taking words out of context and creating a false image that I have seen in Arizona. All legal under the First Amendment, which I explained to the Japanese reporter.

The contrast of upbeat, enthusiastic campaign, to the negative radio ads that bombarded me from the car radio was startling. Will Dr. Ward be able to survive the combination of attacks by the McCain machine, the McConnell establishment, and dominant media bias?  If she does, it will show how much the media has lost its ability to shape the narrative.

Near the end of the stop, I asked Dr. Ward if she supported national carry reciprocity, and if she supported the Hearing Protection Act (HPA).

She knew what I was talking about, a plus for a Senate candidate.

She said that she supported both bills.

She said that a person should be able to exercise their Second Amendment rights anywhere in the country, which is why she supported national reciprocity.

She reminded me she had authored a bill to decriminalize suppressors in the Arizona Senate before the HPA was introduced into the U.S. Senate.

The bill was introduced in 2015. It would have removed Arizona bans on suppressors, short barreled rifles and shotguns, and nun-chucks. It was a common sense reform of the Arizona weapon laws.

Dr. Ward is the most Second Amendment friendly person in the race for the Senate. She would represent Second Amendment supporters far better than former Senator McCain or Senator Flake.

Given that, Yuma is a conservative, military and agriculture town. 

The Republicans that are supporting other candidates claim Dr. Ward is less likely to beat the Democrat candidate in the November election. That remains to be seen. If she had raised a few million dollars to fight this campaign, she would likely be the Senate candidate. Keeping your political independence from the Washington king makers has a price.

If Dr. Ward is able to gain the Republican candidate spot, she will show a level of grass roots support that makes it plausible for her to beat the Democrat in November.

©2018 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

[marktwain]

Dr. Ward is fighting an uphill battle against the McConnell machine, the McCain machine, and the Media.

[Blue House Sue]

And apparently, of all days, John McCain picked the day she kicked off her campaign to die and bury her in the headlines.

[Parley Baer]

I would like to see her win the Senate seat.

[marktwain]

It was the day he, or whoever delivered the message, picked to say he was not going to accept any more medication.

He was dead the next day.

It is likely he was being kept alive on life support.

As he had aggressive brain cancer, there could be some doubt that he was in a mental state capable of making such a decision.

Of course, no one is allowed to question the timing. It is politically incorrect to do so.

I doubt there is any video or any signed and dated document from Senator McCain as to his decision to discontinue medical treatment.

It is not allowed for anyone to ask for such proof.

[BobL]

“Dr. Ward is fighting an uphill battle against the McConnell machine, the McCain machine, and the Media.”

She’s also fighting an uphill battle against herself. Her statement that McCain timed his death to screw her in the Primary was not, exactly, Senatorial material. I prefer to see her defeated in August, rather than November.

[marktwain]

Except, that was fake news. Here is her actual statement:

“According to screenshots of the conversation posted on Twitter by Arizona political reporters, the aide, Jonathan Williams, wondered if it was “just a coincidence” that the announcement of McCain ending medical treatment came the day Ward was launching a statewide bus tour, her big push before Tuesday’s primary.

Ward replied: “I think they wanted to have a particular narrative that is negative to me.”

[originalbuckeye]

I believe the ‘timing’ of his announcement was entirely due to the closeness of his death. Even I, a layperson, knows when someone with National visibility announces they are discontinuing medical care, they are a day or two from death. And Dr Ward. took the announcement personally? And she’s a doctor? Sorry. Clueless.

[marktwain]

I have mixed feelings about McSally, while Dr. Ward has been extremely consistent, conservative and a serious Constitutionalist.

What we are seeing is the typical gaslighting of serious opponents to the establishment media power structure.

Ward does not have Billions to fight back with, like the President.

If Ward wins the primary (unlikely) she shows the media no longer controls the narrative. She has a good chance at the November election.

I doubt that will happen. The forces she is up against are simply too great.

They show how we end up with a questionable Senate, and a majority of Republicans in the House. The Media does not have the resources to concentrate power on all 435 House races every election.

They have the resources to concentrate on the dozen or so Senate races in contention.

[Jane Long]

Thanks, marktwain, for correcting the Fake News BS.

Go, Kelli!!

[pfflier]

"As he had aggressive brain cancer, there could be some doubt that he was in a mental state capable of making such a decision"...or such a statement oral or written

Who has been pulling the strings for the past several weeks?

[marktwain]

That close to death, and you believe he was capable of making an informed decision, with an aggressive brain cancer?

It is possible. When was the last time Senator McCain was seen in public?

Dr. Ward merely mentioned a possibility, in response to a staffer.

[House Atreides]

I believe the ‘timing’ of his announcement was entirely due to the closeness of his death.
*********************************
Actually, the timing of his death was tied to the turning off of life support. I’m of the opinion that he was kept on life support until right before the election.

[ifinnegan]

“The difference from 2016 was the enormous amount of media ads in opposition to Dr. Ward. It is the worst case of taking words out of context and creating a false image...”

The operatives were posting that stuff here just the other day.

[ifinnegan]

Yeah. You’re one if the McConnell McCain operative swamp dwellers.

[ifinnegan]

Yeah, I don’t believe you’re objectivity for a second you’re an operative swamp dweller.

[ifinnegan]

“What we are seeing is the typical gaslighting of serious opponents to the establishment media power structure.”

Exactly.

And look at all the people trying to pull their stuff to support the establishment swamp right here on this thread.

[originalbuckeye]

I didn’t say McCain made an announcement. I said the announcement usually comes a day or two before death. I am sure his family released it. I sure hope there isn’t some nefarious agreement between Cindy McCain and Ducey that will allow her to take the seat. IT ISN’T THE MCCAIN SEAT. It is one of two Arizona Senate seats. But back to the original point. For Dr Ward to take anything personal from it is ridiculous.

[BobL]

“Yeah. You’re one if the McConnell McCain operative swamp dwellers.”

LOL...actually, I’m still in shock that we could nominate someone who can manage to LOSE a Senate seat in Alabama, of all states. She said enough to assure her DEFEAT in November, regardless of what the precise wording was...I’ve had enough of witches and differentiating between different types of rape.

I realize that the media will GREATLY magnify any mis-step by our side, so we sure as hell better run people who know how to stay clear of anything close. She DOES NOT have that capability.

[originalbuckeye]

Wow. So if someone doesn’t agree with your candidate, that person is automatically a swamp-dweller?? I voted for Trump in the Presidential Preference Poll. I have voted for Republicans for years. We (you and I) have a disagreement. Too many Republicans are sounding decidedly Democrat with all the smearing of others. Stop it.

[Magic Fingers]

“I have mixed feelings about McSally...”

I don’t - Flake endorsed her.