Posted on 11/13/2018 8:36:44 AM PST by Kaslin
It’s official. Democrat Kyrsten Sinema has emerged victorious over Republican Martha McSally in Arizona’s Senate race. Sinema will occupy the seat that will be vacated by spineless Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, who would not have won re-election to his seat if he ran for re-election. Flake’s approval ratings are abysmal—and he would have lost handily in a primary challenge.
Congrats to @kyrstensinema. I wish her success. I’m grateful to all those who supported me in this journey. I’m inspired by Arizonans’ spirit and our state’s best days are ahead of us. pic.twitter.com/tw0uKgi3oO— McSally For Senate (@MarthaMcSally) November 13, 2018
For all her left wing antics, including her blasé remarks about Americans joining the Taliban, she still ran a good campaign. Jon Gabriel of Ricochet, an Arizona resident, listed three reasons why Sinema was able to eek out a win:
McSally’s Prevent Defense
McSally is no stranger to razor-thin votes. She lost the 2012 congressional race by less than 2,500 votes and won the 2014 rematch by just 167. A major reason for this is her campaigning style.
The Pima County Republican is very cautious. Very cautious. Instead of barnstorming the map and mixing it up with all comers, she carefully issues press releases and attends controlled events. She wouldn’t even agree to a debate with Sinema for months and then only participated in one.
Her style is reminiscent of the much-derided “prevent defense” in the NFL. A football team wants to protect a lead, so they stop trying to score and merely attempt to prevent the other team from scoring. It backfires so often, it’s often parodied as the “prevent-you-from-winning defense.” It definitely backfired for McSally.
Negative Ad Burnout
Most Arizonans would agree that the 2018 Senate race was the most negative statewide campaign they had ever seen. Traditionally, candidates buy a mix of positive and negative ads, a proven strategy that Sinema held to. But McSally and the outside groups supporting her were nearly all-negative, all-the-time. Focusing on the Republican’s remarkable achievements in the military and also in politics would have gone a long way to define a woman few in the state knew much about. Sure, there were a few ads like that, but not nearly enough to match Sinema’s seeming optimism.
[…]
The McCain/Flake Hangover
Arizona conservatives have been frustrated with their Republican senators for many years. Jeff Flake and John McCain campaigned as rock-ribbed right-wingers every six years only to vote with Democrats in DC on crucial issues.
[…]
The Left Was Motivated — and Organized
The Right in Arizona had been well-organized for the past decade, but the Left finally caught up. What began as a grassroots effort to increase teacher pay in early 2018 was quickly professionalized by the state Democratic party and outside groups. Through social media and text messages, the movement activated hundreds of thousands of Arizonans and resulted in a 20 percent salary increase.
[…]
Sinema Ran a Great Campaign
Whether its genuine or an act, Sinema has focused on cultivating her moderate bona fides for years. In the House and now in the Senate campaign, her mailers and ads are nothing but waving flags and smiling veterans. She barely mentions her party but stresses her “independence” and willingness to work with “literally anyone” on conservative issues.
So, now that’s over. McSally can still serve in the U.S. Senate. Yes, even though she lost, it’s possible that she could represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate. It will take Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who trounced his Democratic opponent to win another term, to sign off on it, and current Sen. Jon Kyl needs to resign. Kyl was appointed to fill the vacancy left by the late Sen. John McCain. The discussions on this route have already begun, as Kyl has zero interest in returning to public life.
With Sinema winning AZ Senate race, expect immediate chatter about AZ Gov Ducey potentially appointing McSally to Senate once Kyl steps down from seat he was appointed to after McCain died— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) November 13, 2018
Via AZ Central:
While Republican Party leaders try to regain their temporarily (I hope) lost sanity and get over it, consider this:
Republican Martha McSally soon could be called Sen. McSally.
More than one million Arizona voters wanted to see the former fighter-pilot-turned-southern-Arizona congresswoman in the Senate.
Gov. Doug Ducey could grant them their wish.
Ducey could appoint McSally to the late Sen. John McCain’s Senate seat, the one that placeholder Jon Kyl is expected to leave by year’s end.
By the weekend, it was becoming clear that McSally’s bid for the Senate was not going to be successful, but this avenue could be an option for her to continue serving the people of Arizona… if she wants it. It’s also unknown if Kyl or Ducey will sign off on this, but the option remains.
She’s a Democrat who probably voted for the dyke Demonrat.
Schweikert would be my choice, too. He is my Representative.
Congressmen David Schweikert and Andy Biggs would also be good conservative choices.
However, I’m ok with Kelli Ward.
My ideal choice would be former Congressman JD Hayworth. He’s a fearless conservative and I would be shocked if he wasn’t a big time Trump supporter.
McSally is a never Trumper from accounts..
Kelli Ward will never get appointed as Senator to replace Kyl. Hated by just about all AZ GOP politicians, including conservatives, because of a sour personality (I donated and voted for her despite this).
Paul Gosar should be appointed because whoever runs as a Republican in CD-4 (+25 Republican) will win. He’s a member of the Freedom Caucus.
The People of Arizona nominated this open-borders, pro-amnesty illegal immigrant labor shill, and then they decided they didn’t want her to be Senator. Why the hell should she get that seat?
People need to except that the demographic change has made us a minority in our own home. 30 million or more illegals pumping out anchor babies and we some how think this is ok.
Cheapest weapon of mass destruction ever invented. Womb and Anchor baby.
The very fact that she did not fight the clearly corrupt process that seated Enema is reason enough to never, ever appoint her to anything.
She was a horrible candidate. ..no way she should be appointed. AZ rejected for a crazy lefty
That concession speech with her dog was just awful no wonder she lost
She had her chance and failed the final exam. No do-overs or consolation prizes or participation ribbons!
If she is really a NeverTrumper she surely hid that. She is not my congress person, so I never paid much attention to her before she started running for the Senate.
I can assure you she jumped on the Trump Train when she got serious about running for the Senate, she absolutely hitched her wagon to Trump’s star. She even rode on Marine One with Trump, walked down the helicopter stairs with him and walked onto the stage with POTUS at the latest Arizona Trump rally.
Flake and McCain ruined this state for Republicans by acting like Democrats most of the time. Might as well have a real one if the one you vote for acts like a Democrat.
And what, other than not liking the outcome, do you have to argue she should be fighting a 40,000 vote loss?
If you are going to fight that the election has been stolen, you better have something to back that up. Otherwise you just look like those fool candidates in GA and Fl, who don’t like the fact they lost.
As a former zonie, I’d like to see her just go the hell away. She’s a loser.
They also have a huge illegal population. We have been invaded by South America and we funded the invasion with tax dollars.
There will be no new immigration laws, unless they aid the illegals, under this administration. The President fought the good fight but his own party did everything in their power to shut him down.
The President must now go to war with the tools he as, God help us if they are not enough.
Arizonans are looking for a hot bisexual blonde as their senator not some former military female airplane pilot.
I don’t care about McSally, and I don’t support her. I think she’s a horrible choice. Her opponent is an absolute menace to the nation. That’s the only reason I care. I want to see her opponent defeated, but I don’t particularly need to find a way to do an end-run and get McSally in. She’s not that good.
JD Hayworth is only 60. He’d be great.
Schwiekert has 100% backing from the chamber of commerce and the Bush clan. He is a filthy rino who will act like Flake if he gets this seat. I wouldn’t doubt that Rino Ducey is considering him - I am really getting sick of freepers backing the same people who have been destroying our country. Wake the f up.
She is a filthy rino who invited Romney and bush to campaign for her. People are sick of two faced lying chamber of commerce types who stab you in the back and smile to your face. Mcswamp needs to go back to Connecticut where she is from. I’m sure Feinstein has a role for her.
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