AZ-SEN: McSally Loses Favor for Senate Appointment

[RandySF]

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has lost enthusiasm for appointing Rep. Martha McSally, a fellow Republican, to the Senate in recent weeks even as Republican leaders in Washington have championed her.

Ducey has made no firm decision and McSally, who narrowly lost this year’s Senate race, remains a finalist to fill the seat that John McCain held for decades, a seat that may soon open up. But her stock has fallen in the eyes of the governor, according to two people familiar with his thinking, as Ducey approaches one of the most significant decisions of his political career.

Ducey’s choice would affect not only the future of the Senate but the 2020 elections in an increasingly competitive battleground state. It could also impact his relationship with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), a McSally advocate, as well as other party leaders who want to see more Republican women in Congress.

There are several reasons McSally’s chances have faded, according to the people who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely discuss private conversations. One is a post-election memo her campaign strategists provided to The Washington Post last month, which attributed her defeat in November to external factors. Among them: strong Democratic fundraising, a geographic disadvantage and voter hostility toward President Trump.

The memo sparked outrage inside Ducey’s circle and among broader swaths of influential Republicans, who felt her team did not own up to its strategic mistakes and was trying to deflect blame for her loss to Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema.

There are also concerns about McSally’s standing among Republican donors.

“There is momentum building for an anybody-but-McSally appointment among the Arizona donor community,” said Dan Eberhart, an Arizona-based oil industry executive and donor to McSally’s campaign this year.

McSally declined to comment for this story.



https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/for-arizona-governor-mcsallys-star-dims-as-possible-choice-for-senate-seat/2018/12/13/866f6cc0-ff0c-11e8-ad40-cdfd0e0dd65a_story.html?utm_term=.84f3c5e7da64

[no_hypocrisy]

1. I certainly hope that Ducey isn't considering Kelli Ward.

She wanted McCain to get out of her Senate seat before he died.

[Blue_true]

13. That would be a gift to democrats in 2020.

My guess. He pulls some new name, female with a decent resume and who won't set off alarms.

[BlueintheSTL]

2. It really does not matter who he appoints

This seat will be up for grabs in the 2020 special election. I have this seat as the second best pickup opportunity behind Colorado. Of course, if Susan Collins decides to retire then Maine becomes best opportunity.

[Tiggeroshii]

11. Susan Collins is toast. Her vote for kavanaugh sealed her fate, i think

[Blue_true]

14. Susan Collins won't be sworn in on January 2021.

Regardless of how that happens. I want her to run and get beaten by one of the promising democrats that Maine has lining up to face her.

[pecosbob]

3. Republicans don't know what they want

the article has them both slamming her for opposition to Trump and that she was too close to Trump...

They want someone who can engage in divisive, racist rhetoric yet won't alienate voters...

[RandySF]

5. She was a never-Trumper until she faced opposition n the right

[gratuitous]

4. The only way a Republican loser falls out of favor

She's a woman. If you're a man, there's no such thing as falling out of favor in the Republican party. You can lose your last election (Rick Santorum), resign in disgrace (Newt Gingrich), or be convicted of a crime (Joe Arpaio), and you'll still be invited on Fox. You'll get speaker spots at wingnut conferences. You'll get advances from book publishers for useless books that someone else writes.

But you're a woman? Bye, Felicia.

[Jack from Charlotte]

8. Sarah Palin.......

resigned Gov. job after 2 years and lost VP race and then made $100 million doing speeches and selling books and does Fox TV. So...............no.

[gratuitous]

10. Seen her lately, though?

She ran a little cottage industry for herself for a while, but nobody in the Republican establishment bruits her name about for anything, and it looks like the last time she was mentioned in connection with Fox is when they broke off their relationship early in 2013 only to re-sign her a few months later, but she's not on anymore.

[former9thward]

6. Ducey wants the seat himself.

He may appoint a placeholder and run in 2020. Likely he will win because he is very popular in the state.

[grantcart]

20. Agree wouldn't be surprised. If he appoints Cindy McCain

There is a thread in AZ group on it

[Wounded Bear]

7. No wonder they don't like her...

she told the truth. She should know better than that if she's really a Republican.

[panader0]

9. McSalley told the truth about what?

She's a Trumper all the way.....
She was my rep before the midterms.

[Power 2 the People]

12. Yes,please tell us Woundedbear

She never answered any hard questions and just wanted to pivot back to the caravan for every interview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=16&v=xgGLd6yqDCg

[Wounded Bear]

15. I guess it wasn't technically her saying it...

but:

One is a post-election memo her campaign strategists provided to The Washington Post last month, which attributed her defeat in November to external factors. Among them: strong Democratic fundraising, a geographic disadvantage and voter hostility toward President Trump.

Yeah, that's a bit too much truth for the average Repub.

[dsc]

16. I hope they are dumb enough not to appoint her

She is likely the only person who can save that seat if Trump doesn't recover before 2020. The west has become a very good region for us. After 2020 we could easily see us with 2 Democratic Senators in WA, OR, CA, AZ, NV, CO, and NM with one in MT. They would have ID, WY, UT, and one seat in MT. That is a 15 to 7 division in our favor. Add in the split in HI and Alaska and it becomes 17 to 9.

As hard as the Senate is for us, we have a road to a decent majority. New England 12 to 0. Mid Atlantic 10 to 0. Confederacy 6 to 16. Industrial midwest (OH, IN, IL, MI, WI, MN) 9 to 3. That leaves 2 from the following states ND, SD, NE, KS, OK, WV, KY, MO, IA. It is possible.

[Polybius]

17. Don't forget Alabama

That will be tougher than defending ND was in 2018.

[dsc]

18. I'm not

We have 3 seats in the south now, including his. I think we could get FL, NC. and GA. I also think we have a shot TX.

[Polybius]

19. We won't get FL in 2020

Rubio was re-elected in 2016. He's up in 2022. NC is a definite possibility though. Georgia will be tougher. Texas even harder. We had an A+ Democrat with massive charisma just lose to the most hated guy in the Senate. 2020 is much harder than beating Cruz.

[GulfCoast66]

22. Since we in Florida have no Senatorial election in 2020

I doubt we get it.

The Florida Senate and Governor loss was our most damaging in a very good year.

I am hopeful Gwen runs again in 22. I supported her in the Primary and then went all in for Gillum.

He ran well, but got defeated by a candidate we could have beat.

But Florida is proof that progressives can’t win everywhere. And that having self titled progressives or socialist northeasterns, Democratic members or not, should stay out of our primary elections. Elections are in the end local.

[Awsi Dooger]

24. Gwen Graham was a better ideological fit and also didn't have an FBI problem

Gillum was a marvelous candidate day to day, other than late start and therefore not enough emphasis on Hispanics. But I voted Graham in the primary for strategic reasons and I believe they were valid. It didn't matter if the FBI scandal was nothing. Republicans were certain to abuse it. As soon as I read about that situation in August I knew it would be a major factor.

Marc Caputo continues to dissect the two Florida races virtually every day. Today he noted that Republicans spent $7 million devoted exclusively to that FBI issue and labeling Gillum as unethical. Once the Hamilton ticket issue showed up, it further fueled that notion. It might not have mattered except Gillum was also viewed as too liberal for the state, according to 46% in the exit poll.

I have followed exit polls since 1992 and never seen that type of percentage attached to that question. Outsiders indeed should stay away instead of force feeding candidates who do not fit.

Caputo's column also noted that if Gillum had done anything wrong the FBI would have had it by now. But there is nothing. A Republican strategist conceded of Gillum, "He got screwed."

2018 still does not feel like a victory, due to the two outcomes here in Florida. Heck, it doesn't feel like Christmas. I haven't decorated the tree or put up the outside lights. That's how much energy those two races drained.

[grantcart]

21. Gov Ducey is a stronger candidate than she is

McSally wouldn't have won the primary if they hadn't had Arpaio split the crazies off of Ward

[Cha]

23. So what were McSally's "strategic mistakes"?

The memo sparked outrage inside Ducey’s circle and among broader swaths of influential Republicans, who felt her team did not own up to its strategic mistakes and was trying to deflect blame for her loss to Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema.

Mahalo!