With John McCain running for reelection, national security figures to play an important role in this year’s Arizona Senate race. Earlier this year, McCain’s allies sought to rebuild his conservative credentials by contrasting him with President Obama. But in a new ad, it’s not McCain’s record in question, but that of his opponent – physician and former state Senator Kelli Ward.
Arizona Grassroots Action PAC supports McCain, but the Senator is never mentioned in the 30-second spot. Instead, it attacks the national security record of Ward – who entered politics in 2012 and served less than three years in the state legislature – as “dangerous and weak.”
The ad also criticizes Ward for opposing the Defense Authorization Act – “a bill critical to our national security.” The ad claims that Ward’s opposition to the legislation meant that she “sided with conspiracy theorists and liberals over our troops and our national defense.”
Another Tea Party challenger, businessman Alex Meluskey, has hit McCain from the right over Syrian refugees. McCain has been a target of the Tea Party since the movement’s earliest days, but conservatives failed to attract a top candidate to challenge the incumbent, leaving Ward as McCain’s most serious primary threat.
However, McCain must be careful in handling the primary challenge as he looks ahead to the general election. McCain recently announced that he would skip the GOP convention in Cleveland. But Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick has already run ads connecting him to presumptive nominee Donald Trump.
McCain has a fine line to walk, winning over conservative primary voters without alienating moderates and independents in November. His super PAC is counting on this ad to do the trick by undermining his opponent’s credentials without having to move McCain further right or left.
Arizona Grassroots Action PAC supports McCain, but the Senator is never mentioned in the 30-second spot. Instead, it attacks the national security record of Ward – who entered politics in 2012 and served less than three years in the state legislature – as “dangerous and weak.”
“Bad Judgment. Dangerous Record.”
The ad takes issue with legislation Ward introduced in response to the Edward Snowden revelations. Titled the “Arizona Fourth Amendment Protection Act” and modeled after a template from the Tenth Amendment Center, the bill would have banned state and local officials from cooperating with the NSA. According to the ad, “Ward wanted to ban our intelligence agencies from operating in Arizona, leaving Arizonans vulnerable to attack from terrorists.”The ad also criticizes Ward for opposing the Defense Authorization Act – “a bill critical to our national security.” The ad claims that Ward’s opposition to the legislation meant that she “sided with conspiracy theorists and liberals over our troops and our national defense.”
John McCain’s Tough Spot
For decades, McCain’s reputation as a “maverick” helped him win over Arizona voters. But since his presidential bid in 2008, followed by a primary challenge in 2010, his record has opened him up to attacks from all sides.Another Tea Party challenger, businessman Alex Meluskey, has hit McCain from the right over Syrian refugees. McCain has been a target of the Tea Party since the movement’s earliest days, but conservatives failed to attract a top candidate to challenge the incumbent, leaving Ward as McCain’s most serious primary threat.
However, McCain must be careful in handling the primary challenge as he looks ahead to the general election. McCain recently announced that he would skip the GOP convention in Cleveland. But Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick has already run ads connecting him to presumptive nominee Donald Trump.
McCain has a fine line to walk, winning over conservative primary voters without alienating moderates and independents in November. His super PAC is counting on this ad to do the trick by undermining his opponent’s credentials without having to move McCain further right or left.