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

[PsyCon]

Glad to have her gun rights positions re-confirmed. I think she will make a good Senator and voted for her today.

[Reno89519]

Trump has repeatedly mentioned McSally, introduced her and spoke of her at rallies. That’s an endorsement. He has NEVER done so for Doc Contrail or Sheriff Joe.

[marktwain]

Joe should never have run. I do not understand what led him to do so, hopefully he does’t play spoiler and set up Doc Contrail to win tonight, then lose spectacularly in November.

Where are you getting your information?

On the ground here, the uniform opinion, by people who have been involved in AZ politics for a long time, is that Sheriff Joe is a spoiler put in to prevent the election of Dr. Ward.

[ifinnegan]

The primary is the time to not support and work against the McCain/McConnell axis of the GOP.

But you aren’t. You’re supporting it.

[Reno89519]

While Trump has not given McSally a full endorsement like he has of others, he has introduced her, spoke well of her in numerous rallies. His choice is clear. I suspect he did not do a formal endorsement out of respect for Sheriff Joe. He has to the best of my recollection never mentioned Doc Contrail, not once.

[marktwain]

Trump has repeatedly mentioned McSally, introduced her and spoke of her at rallies. That’s an endorsement. He has NEVER done so for Doc Contrail or Sheriff Joe.

The opposition ads for her in Arizona have a couple of 10 second clips where President Trump gives his usual praise for a Republican congressperson who supported him in a vote.

Far, far from an endorsement. Trump is pretty careful in his endorsements. When he makes them, he makes them directly.

Pretty clear to me that President Trump decided to let the Republicans in Arizona fight this one out.

It is, I think, the dirtiest race I have seen in Arizona. The outright lies against Ward are pervasive, at saturation level. But, that is the First Amendment.

[marktwain]

The results have not come out yet.

I will make a prediction. McSally will win, Ward second, Arpaio a distant third.

[Reno89519]

I watch all of Trump’s rallies and he’s done more than just mention McSally, and done so more than once. And has NEVER mentioned Doc Contrail or Sheriff Joe.

[marktwain]

I watch all of Trump’s rallies and he’s done more than just mention McSally, and done so more than once. And has NEVER mentioned Doc Contrail or Sheriff Joe.

And they are not members of Congress.

[crz]

I dont think it is a dirty as the soon to be dirt napper did in the last primary.

Chemtrail Kelli and all.

I hope that C-sucker had his shovel sharpened up.

[originalbuckeye]

Just out of curiosity, the anti Ward ads started a few weeks ago. Did you happen to notice who was paying for them or did you assume it was McSally? I saw anti McSally ads and waited to find out who paid for them. Turns out it was a PAC called Red and Gold and it was a Democrat PAC. The ads against Ward were likely from Dem PACs, too. But Ward supporters immediately assumed the ads were sponsored by McSally. The Dems are clever in the ways they can put us against each other. And no, Trump hasn’t endorsed anyone in this race. For enough. But I am sure he will endorse whichever Republican wins tonight!

[crz]

In the adds McFalty put out, they were voice overs of him at his rallies.

Another filthy dirty political lie buy the AZ Establishment GOP.

[Reno89519]

When mentioning her, I recall him speaking specifically of her run for Senate, not specifically her support. May have mentioned both but I noted the Senate campaign. I think t his was recently the case in Ohio, maybe Florida, and others. Like I said, I watch each live or later recorded.

[Luke21]

McSally is to the left of Flake. She ran around the state backstabbing Trump throughout 2016. She hasn’t told people she didn’t vote for Hillary.

She would be another Susan Collins, who has endorsed her. If Ward were to win, the GOP-e and McSally would back Sinema. We don’t have a good track record against the GOP-e because the state is full of geezer veterans.

[crz]

Am waiting to see who the hell Ducey appoints after this is over.

Gonna see if he is a political coward or not.

If I were him, I would appoint the loser of this primary to the senate. Or at least JD Hayworth, which would be the safer of it all.

[Luke21]

Speculation is that Joe got paid big to run. The GOP-e wants their lady McCain to stick us all in the ribs. Their greatest celebration would be us rising up to get Flake, and replacing him with someone even worse.

[WMarshal]

“The outright lies against Ward are pervasive, at saturation level. But, that is the First Amendment. “

I voted for Ward because I just don’t trust McSally due to her past statements.

[originalbuckeye]

McSally has a 90% Trump support record. Don’t put forth conjecture as truth, please.

[originalbuckeye]

I would appoint the loser of this Primary, too. McSally or Ward. Not Joe. I sure hope Ward supporters will vote for McSally, IF she wins tonight. McSally is not to the Left of Flake and she would sure be a whole lot better than Sinema.

[DLfromthedesert]

I am Martha McSally and I approve this message. After an anti-Ward ad.