Thread: The Republican frontrunner in Arizona's Senate race is being funded by prominent Neve

The Republican frontrunner in Arizona's Senate race is being funded by prominent Never Trumpers


Eliza Relman


May. 27, 2018, 10:23 AM
10,632



FACEBOOKLINKEDINTWITTEREMAILCOPY LINKRep. Martha McSallyJacquelyn Martin/AP

• Republican Rep. Martha McSally of Arizona is likely the strongest candidate to run against a centrist Democrat in the contest for retiring Sen. Jeff Flake's seat.
• But McSally, the establishment favorite, was critical of Trump until she announced her candidacy and has long been bankrolled by Never Trumpers.
• Her flip-flop on Trump and tack to the right on policy reflect the complicated politics of the GOP in 2018.

---

Republican Rep. Martha McSally of Arizona could play a key role in preventing a Democratic takeover of the Senate in November.

The former Air Force fighter pilot is leading in the polls (and in fundraising) against her two GOP primary opponents in the race to replace retiring GOP Sen. Jeff Flake, whose sustained criticism of the president made his reelection likely impossible.

But McSally has taken tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from prominent Never Trumpers and has a long history of criticizing the president, whom she refused to endorse in 2016.

Even as she has embraced Trump and moved right on key policy issues — most notably immigration— since announcing her candidacy, the sources of McSally's campaign cash reflect the complicated nature of this purple state battle.

Billionaire investor and top GOP donor Paul Singer has long promoted McSally, pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into her campaigns through his investment firm and political groups, including Winning for Women.

Singer — an aggressive anti-Trumper— was also behind funding for Fusion GPS, the research firm that produced the salacious dossier concerning alleged ties between Trump's campaign and Russia. The Washington Free Beacon, a conservative online news outlet funded by Singer, paid the firm to dig up dirt on multiple candidates, including Trump, during the 2016 primary elections.

But Singer, who once warned that Trump's election would provoke a "widespread global depression," has changed his tune since Trump's election, donating $1 million to the president's inauguration and making amends with Trump at the White House.

After one of these meetings, the president acknowledged Singer "was very much involved with the anti-Trump or, as they say, 'Never Trump,'" movement, but that the megadonor had "given us his total support and it's all about unification."

President Donald Trump and Rep. Martha McSally at a meeting on immigration at the White House.Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Competing allegiances

Trump hasn't endorsed any candidate in the contest, and White House aides and other Republican officials have reportedly worked hard to prevent him from doing so.

McSally was also reportedly assured before she entered the race that the president wouldn't endorse her opponents: Joe Arpaio, the former sheriff and immigration hardliner controversially pardoned by Trump, and Kelli Ward, a far-right former state senator who ran against GOP Sen. John McCain in 2016.

The party establishment, led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, has remained firmly opposed to Ward and Arpaio, both of whom they view as fringe candidates who'd be blown away in a general election against Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, a centrist Democrat.

But Vice President Mike Pence gave Arpaio a boost earlier this month, praising the former sheriff at an event in Arizona for the pro-Trump group America First Policies.

Pence called Arpaio "a great friend of this president" and "a tireless champion of strong borders and the rule of law," and added that he was "honored" to have him at the event.

And an array of Trump supporting, far-right groups remain aligned against McSally.

One of Trump's most generous benefactors, the billionaire hedge fund manager Robert Mercer, donated $300,000 to a pro-Ward super PAC last year.

"If the McConnell establishment runs another 'Never Trumper' in Arizona like Martha McSally, expect the full weight of the president's America First movement to come down upon her like a ton of bricks," Andy Surabian, an adviser to the Trump-aligned Great America Alliance and a close Bannon adviser, told US News last October.

http://www.businessinsider.com/marth...rumpers-2018-5

The Republican frontrunner in Arizona's Senate race is being funded by prominent Never Trumpers

So what? The article states "But Singer, who once warned that Trump's election would provoke a 'widespread global depression,' has changed his tune since Trump's election, donating $1 million to the president's inauguration and making amends with Trump at the White House." Many people who were against Trump for President supported him as the GOP candidate, and many have also changed their minds since he became President!

But McSally has taken tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from prominent Never Trumpers and has a long history of criticizing the president, whom she refused to endorse in 2016.

Even as she has embraced Trump and moved right on key policy issues — most notably immigration— since announcing her candidacy, the sources of McSally's campaign cash reflect the complicated nature of this purple state battle.

President Reagan was a Democrat before he was a Republican. Sometimes people's minds change with the facts, and sometimes, when there is a field of candidates, they will support one that doesn't make the cut. Then they are for the winner.

The concern should be for the policies she supports now, not who she was friends with during the election.

Originally Posted by jtdc

So what? The article states "But Singer, who once warned that Trump's election would provoke a 'widespread global depression,' has changed his tune since Trump's election, donating $1 million to the president's inauguration and making amends with Trump at the White House." Many people who were against Trump for President supported him as the GOP candidate, and many have also changed their minds since he became President!

President Reagan was a Democrat before he was a Republican. Sometimes people's minds change with the facts, and sometimes, when there is a field of candidates, they will support one that doesn't make the cut. Then they are for the winner.

The concern should be for the policies she supports now, not who she was friends with during the election.

I have to disagree with you're overall assessment. We've been burned repeatedly over the years by political candidates that have flopped on issues prior to an election just to make them more electable. For example, I can still remember Sen. John McCain's words burning in my ear the last time he was up for reelection.

Excerpt:

Sen. John McCain has released a tough-talking television ad that blames illegal immigrants for "home invasions [and] murders" and calls for the completion of the "danged fence" along the U.S.-Mexico border, reversing years of criticizing such a barrier.

Facing the most difficult primary challenge he has seen in years, the ad is the most recent in a series of measures McCain, R-Ariz., has taken which play to the far right of his party, including endorsing a controversial new law that allows police to stop people they suspect are illegal immigrants and demand identification.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/john-mccain-immigration-reversal-complete-danged-fence/story?id=10616090

Of course we all know how that ended up. Once elected, John McCain flopped back to his original self. That seems to happen a lot. They're opposed, then it's time for an election campaign and they're for it, but then once elected, they're against it again. RINOs like McSally are notorious for that. I still like Kelli Ward, I'm just sorry that Arpaio joined the race because he is taking votes away from Kelli Ward, not the RINO McSally.

Kelli Ward's strong position against illegal immigrant amnesty and her support of Trump and his border wall, unlike McSally's positions, has not changed.

McSally is the "Never Trumpers" and establishment choice for a reason.

Originally Posted by MW

I have to disagree with you're overall assessment.

And I disagree with your disagreement!

Originally Posted by MW

I still like Kelli Ward, I'm just sorry that Arpaio joined the race because he is taking votes away from Kelli Ward, not the RINO McSally.

But it is what it is. If McSally can beat the Democrat, is that not the way to go?

Originally Posted by MW

Kelli Ward's strong position against illegal immigrant amnesty and her support of Trump and his border wall, unlike McSally's positions, has not changed.

But people can change! Some like Kirstjen Nielsen, you know what they are, and they don't change their stripes. Others will play by the team rules, even if they don't agree with them.

And the title of this thread is "The Republican frontrunner in Arizona's Senate race is being funded by prominent Never Trumpers" who now supports Trump!

I hope whoever wins the Primary can win the General. That's all that matters right now in Arizona and many of these key Senate races and all the House races.

Originally Posted by Judy

I hope whoever wins the Primary can win the General. That's all that matters right now in Arizona and many of these key Senate races and all the House races.

I understand your position, however, placing the wrong people will be a disaster for us on the immigration and border security issues we're facing. It's akin to giving the Democrats more votes against future get-tough immigration and border security bills. Just as bad, it will stop tougher policies from coming up for a vote in the U.S. Congress and it will stop cold many of Trump's wish list items.

RINOs amnesty supporters are as useless to our efforts on immigration as tits on a bore hog. Can you even imagine the damage that could be done with a U.S. House full of Rep. Jeff Denham's and a U.S. Senate full of Sen. Jeff Flake's?

You don't make any sense.

Originally Posted by Judy

You don't make any sense.

You've been saying that a lot in the last couple of days. Too much Ambien?

MW might be using too much Ambien, I don't know, I don't know him or his drug habits. Is that what keeps you confused so much of the time?

Originally Posted by Judy

You don't make any sense.

This should of made what I said very clear where immigration and border security is concerned:

"Can you even imagine the damage that could be done with a U.S. House full of Rep. Jeff Denham's and a U.S. Senate full of Sen. Jeff Flake's?"