Ward stays consistent; McSally flip-flops
You’ve got to hand it to Kelli Ward. She’s forcing her opponents to spend millions against her congressional bid just a few days before Tuesday’s Republican primary.
That only means one thing: Rep. Martha McSally, the favorite of the Arizona and Washington Republican establishment, either is really afraid of Ward or is draining campaign accounts out of an abundance of caution, as some experts suggest.
Either way, it’s worth noting that Ward, a former state senator from Lake Havasu City, hasn’t changed her message one bit since she began her congressional quest — first a failed attempt against Sen. John McCain, and now to
replace outgoing Sen. Jeff Flake.
She’s always been transparent. Ward wants to build the border wall with Mexico. She targets immigrants at every opportunity, and her support for President Donald Trump hasn’t wavered for a second.
She said as much on Twitter on
Wednesday.
“McSally is trying to distract voters by launching another $1M in dishonest attack ads about me & my campaign. My message has never changed: #BuildTheWall, #RepealObamacare, grow the economy, reduce the debt, strengthen our military, & take care of our vets! #VoteWard #AZSEN.”
I disagree with Ward on pretty much everything, but I appreciate her consistency. I’d rather know exactly what a candidate stands for and intends to do if elected over somebody like McSally, who conveniently decided to support Trump and his policies only when she was recruited to run for the Senate.
I know. That’s being practical, right? It’s about winning at any cost. It’s flipflopping and distorting anything to win. That’s why McSally embodies exactly what’s wrong with the country’s election system, where millions of dollars are spent on 30-second TV spots attacking the opponent. Unfortunately, it works. Voters aren’t paying attention to detailed policy proposals. They rely on sound bites and attacks to make their decisions.
Arizonans voting for Ward, or even for the anti-immigrant former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, know exactly who they are getting.
But what does a vote for McSally mean? We really don’t know, and for that reason, Arizonans should question her authenticity and dependability.
Tuesday’s GOP winner will likely face Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema in the November general election.
Should McSally defeat Ward and Arpaio, expect her to tone down her support for Trump, or at least try to move a bit to the center. Many have already mailed in their ballots, but if you’re among those voting in person Tuesday, ask yourself the kind of senator Arizonans deserve.
McSally supporters tout her credentials — a congresswoman and former combat pilot — and justify her flip-flopping as political maneuvering necessary to win.
Sure, there is always a perfectly logical explanation for everything. But at this point, why would you believe anything she says?
Call me naive if you like. But transparency and honesty matter. And they should matter to you, too.