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Kelli Ward is at times tactless. She is running against Flake, and she should continue to do so. If she beats him, she will have won on her own merits.

So instead of replacing McCain (and thus leaving Flake in office), it would be far better to replace McCain with the other female Republican, Martha McSally.

She is a retired United States Air Force Colonel and the first American woman to fly in combat following the 1991 lifting of the prohibition of women in combat. She flew the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II ‘Warthog’ close air support aircraft over Iraq and Kuwait during Operation Southern Watch.

She is the first woman to command a USAF fighter squadron, the 354th Fighter Squadron (354 FS) based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

She also sued the Department of Defense challenging the military policy that required U.S. and U.K. servicewomen stationed in Saudi Arabia to wear the body-covering abaya when traveling off base in the country. She had been fighting for a change in the policy for seven years, and had filed the lawsuit after she had been threatened with a court martial if she did not comply and wear the abaya.

Here is a little bit on the other Republican congressmen from Arizona besides McSally. The R's have a deep bench.

4th District: Paul Gosar

Primary issues: Gun rights, borders and immigration; against abortion, EPA, Indian rights, global warming issues.

Background:

A dentist who entered politics, Gosar came up by way of the Tea Party.
His primary interests are social conservatism and property rights.
At age 58 he is in his 4th term.
He serves on the Natural Resources Committee, and the Oversight and Government Reform Committee where he vice-chairs the Health Care, District of Columbia, Census and National Archives Subcommittee.

5th District: Andy Biggs

Primary issues: Borders and immigration, social conservatism, education, economy, energy, veterans.

Background:

Biggs is an attorney who served in the Arizona legislature (8 years in the House, 4 in the Senate).
At age 58 he is a freshman.

6th District: Dave Schweikert

Primary issues: Borders and immigration, defense, gun rights, energy, balanced budget; against abortion, EPA and global warming issues.

Background:

Schweikert served 4 years in the Arizona House, 12 years on the State Board of Equalization, and 3 years as Maricopa County Treasurer.
He ran unsuccessfully for the US House 3 times before finally winning.
At age 55 he is in his 3rd term.
He was one of 3 congressmen purged by Boehner for not being team players.
He serves on the House Financial Services Committee and the Joint Economic Committee.

8th District: Trent Franks

Primary issues: Homeland security, taxes, gun rights; against abortion.

Background:

Franks came out of the oil industry where he was a small businessman in oil drilling.
His career in state government under Gov. Evan Mecham was tied to abortion and evangelical family issues, and he resigned when Mecham was impeached and removed from office.
He sponsored a constitutional amendment that would have banned abortion in Arizona, but it only got 35% of the vote. He was an advisor to Pat Buchanan.
He returned to the oil business before winning a seat in the House.
At age 60 he is in his 8th term.
He serves on the Armed Services Committee and the Judiciary Committee.

Didn’t McSally come out with an homage to her beloved mentor McCain? I was surprised because I thought she was supposed to be one of the good guys. Either I was wrong or she’s gunning to be his replacement. She’s just not as obvious as Kelli.

*Full disclosure: I voted for Kelli last time and will again. She was only stating the obvious: McCain is an 80-year-old man with a malignant brain tumor. Most people would want to spend their last days on earth with their wife and family, but apparently McCain craves power more. And yet Kelli is the bad guy here?!?!