Washington (CNN) Conservative groups are trying to scare Rep. Martha McSally away from Arizona's Republican primary to replace retiring Sen. Jeff Flake.

Since Flake -- faced with an all-but-certain primary loss against former state Sen. Kelli Ward -- announced his retirement this week, Republicans have searched for an alternative to Ward, a conservative firebrand who is seen as prone to missteps and a poor fit for a race against Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema.

McSally and Rep. Paul Gosar expressed interest in running for Flake's Senate seat when the state's congressional delegation met Thursday in Washington, an Arizona Republican operative familiar with the meeting said. McSally met with Sen. John McCain on Thursday.

McSally, a decorated military veteran and second-term House member who has won in a competitive district and is a strong fundraiser, is seen as the preference of national Republicans and Gov. Doug Ducey.

But her history of criticizing President Donald Trump made her the target of a show-of-force statement from conservative groups that spend heavily in GOP primaries, including the Club for Growth, the Senate Conservatives Fund and FreedomWorks.

Read More