McSally Jumping in Arizona Senate Race, Report Says
Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) is reportedly telling colleagues she's jumping in the Arizona Senate race, according to a report from the Arizona Republic. McSally, a two-term congresswoman and a 26-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, would be running to fill the vacancy left by Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), who shocked the political world last […]
Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) is reportedly telling colleagues she's jumping in the Arizona Senate race, according to a report from the Arizona Republic.
McSally, a two-term congresswoman and a 26-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, would be running to fill the vacancy left by Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), who shocked the political world last month by announcing he would not seek reelection.
McSally told her fellow Republicans from Arizona's US House delegation today that she's going to run for US Senate, two sources close to the delegation told our reporter this afternoon. The sources said McSally did not provide a timeline for when she will announce her candidacy. 'It must be very soon if she's telling people,' one source said. As of the end of the third quarter of 2017, McSally had raised more than $2.8 million for the 2018 election cycle, and had nearly $1.5 million on hand. Kelli Ward is already in the race, while Gosar, Regent Jay Heiler, former AZGOP Chairman Robert Graham, former Congressman Matt Salmon and former Congressman John Shadegg are considering running for Flake's seat as well."
McSally is a strong fundraiser and could protect the Arizona seat for Republicans, who will likely be defending it against a challenge from Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), a three-term congresswoman from the Phoenix area. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) reportedly pleaded with Sinema to jump in the race. She announced her Senate campaign days later in September. A Miami New Times report indicated not all Arizona Democrats are backing Sinema's campaign.