In a reminder that the Arizona Republic often leans further to the right than most people remember, their editorial board has endorsed Martha McSally, mostly because they feel she would bring more leadership to the fight for the A-10 and for her “genuinely solid grasp of foreign policy and national security”:
These are strong, good Americans.
Only one can represent the district. In previous election seasons, including primaries, we have backed both candidates. Each brings unique attributes. Barber has a constituent orientation, strong support for the district’s military installations and a willingness to part from the Democratic party line.
McSally, who has yet to hold office, brings charismatic, principled leadership honed by 26 years as an Air Force officer, blazing trails where women had never gone before. She and Mia Love of Utah constitute the crown jewels of the Republican Party’s effort to increase gender diversity in Congress.
We believe this is her time. The Arizona Republic recommends Martha McSally for Congress in District 2.
However, their endorsement does seem to come with a relatively significant caveat:
She has drawbacks, certainly. She is vague to the point of frustration on questions of immigration reform. But she is no ideologue on the subject.
The Republic seems to see something in McSally that I haven’t noticed, however, other than her insistence on repeating slogans about her independence:
An ideologue would face a short tenure in this swing district. So would any representative unwilling to buck the party line. McSally is as unsparing in her criticism of some Republican positions as Barber is of Democratic ones.
The Republic‘s other endorsements applicable to Southern Arizona: Ann Kirkpatrick in CD1; Terry Goddard for Secretary of State; Felicia Rotellini for Attorney General; David Garcia for Superintendent; and Tom Forese and Democrat Jim Holway for Corporation Commission. Their endorsement for the governor’s race is still to come.
This article appears in Oct 2-8, 2014.
This is not news but opinion! For the record, the open borders lobby want anyone to be able to ask for asylum, keep them here for years and then allow their parents and grandparents to enter as well! In Tucson this means millions for welfare, education costs unfunded by the Feds but from our taxes, limiting funds for education and entitlements for our citizens and legal residents. TUSD/Amphi to bare the costs and we should vote for a proposition to add c.$2.5 million to their ‘enrichment’ budgets but it will bent on the unrevealed numbers of illegals.
With gender as her main selling point, with a nod to a charisma that I haven’t seen displayed, the Arizona Republic endorses McSally, a candidate with very few known stances on the issues facing CD 2 and the nation as a whole. Hardly a ringing endorsement, I’d say.
I am opposed to McSally, but even more so Barber.
AZ must find better.
“charismatic”? Give me a break. The lady scares me! When she smiles it is a smirk. Who would I rather have a beer with? Definitely not mc avoid debates sally.
Would you rather have a rubber stamp RNC representative or a rubber stamp DNC representative? At least Barber seems to be honest about his positions. McSally’s former campaign manager worked to undermine Jesse Kelly’s run against Barber after Kelly beat McSally in the primary two years ago. I consider myself (R) but I will not vote for McSally.
Once again no real substance in Arizona Republic’s endorsement. Do I get this correct? The reason for their endorsement is to “increase gender diversity in Congress”. What the hell are they talking about? Issues, values, solid legislative experience doesn’t count? Well, she knows how to fly an A-10 and she would bring more leadership to the fight for the A-10. The loss of the A-10 would be an economic loss to Southern Arizona, period, no doubt. And, Congressman Barber hasn’t been fighting for the A-10 and DM? Come on, that’s totally weak and no reason to start over again just to give two years in Congress to a woman, then what? That newspaper up in Phoenix blind? Southern Arizona is becoming more Progressive and Democrat, come 2016 a Presidential Election and another new Congressman elected to start over again. Let’s leave Ron Barber in Congress, like his ads say, he is Arizona….you know the rest. If McSally wants to contribute, have her start and gain a little experience in the legislature, then we can judge her record and see where she stands on the real issues facing us every day. I would like to know more about her than she likes Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan’s Budget to gut Social Security and turn Medicare into a voucher system. Really McSally, vouchers to buy health insurance and put us at the mercy of Insurance Companies again? It’s bad enough to be under the thumbs of the medical professionals, you know like the ones that blew catching the Ebola case in Texas. “Ebola case in Dallas signals health system lapse” Los Angeles Times. Palin and McSally are no light bulbs. The Arizona Republic wants to send one to Congress, might as well tell us the other one should be inline to be President of the United States. That’s what McCain tried to tell us.
The Republic said it’s her “time.” Maybe she’ll have “time” to show up at a debate.
At the least, she will show up for a debate that isn’t fixed by the uber left wing! Get a format that has an equal playing field and she’ll stomp the crap out of Barber!!
I hope I’m correct in assuming most southern Arizonans, specifically voters in Pima and Cochise Counties, don’t read The Republic or give much credence to its opinions or recommendations. My suspicion of The Republic is heightened by its untrue, i.e., false, statement regarding Colonel Retired McSally’s USAF career. “26 years as an Air Force officer” is quite simply not true, as even McSally has admitted to me. She served 22 years as an officer after having obtained her undergraduate degree in the normal 4 years at the USAF Academy. During those 4 years she wore a cadet’s uniform but was not a member, much less a commissioned officer, of the USAF. Granted McSally, no stickler for the whole truth, is wont to mention her 26 years of service, perhaps figuring that the actual 22 don’t give her sufficient gravitas. What I’d like to know is: why did she retire as a bird colonel at 44, without an obvious career path to which to turn? Would it have been the realization that she’d never trade the eagle for a general’s star(s)?????
Why didn’t McSally choose to run against Raul Grijalva? Then she would have gotten my vote and only then…
@RatT
I couldn’t agree more. Time for an amendment to get the money out then? They certainly aren’t going to do it themselves, even McCain distanced himself. When every one of them has a 7 figure salary as a lobbyist to look forward to when they retire from ‘public’ ‘service’, you really can’t expect them to behave like adults, citizens, or Americans. And that ain’t a stab at the republicans either for all you kneejerk liberals out there – just look at every one of Obama’s appointments – cable company exec for FCC (good bye netflix), Ag head who, on the public record, has stated his support for farmers is ’cause those farm boys make the best cannon fodder’, etc. etc.
This is how our government ‘works’ now. But by all means, everyone vote Barber, I’m sure he’ll ‘fix’ things. Chamipion of the people and all that…
I’m going McSally – our system needs a *huge* dose of the devil you don’t know right *now*. A vote for the status quo is just that – a vote for the status quo. And it’s killing us all, on both sides of the aisle.
desertrat, are we related? Good talk my little mouse buddy. Beyond lobbying even Panetta now writes a book and to help it sell he discredits the President that he served.
By keeping his mouth shut for 6 years he didn’t serve the country.
Panetta is trying to feather his nest with Hillary so he can go back and do it again.
Come on Americans!!
The funny thing is, more District 2 voters will hear about the Republic endorsement from the TW than from the Republic itself.
Obviously there is little understanding of how being at the service academies IS being in the military. McSally did NOT write the law pertaining to her total active military service time so she cannot be blamed for what is the truth about her total military service time.
Likewise, her retirement as a colonel was the result of her “bucking the system” regarding the attire required of military women in the Mideast. After taking a contrary position with our military leadership and succeeding there was no way she would ever ascend past colonel. Don’t blame her for having the fortitude missing among our military and civilian leadership but accept her past as an example of her possible future work.
The A~10 is only an ever decreasing portion of ALL the military assigned to D~M. There are roughly 5~12 people as crew on each C~130 and roughly 4~6 people for each helicopter. And what percentage of A~10 sorties are actually used in CAS missions? Yes, the A~10 has legions of military fans but nothing lasts forever and the current “fight” by Barber is more about re~election than about the economy of Tucson. It’s time to accept the decision that the time may have come for this airplane to be retired.
Bottom line: military women moving into Congress have brought a unique perspective and McSally will add to that group dynamic. Maybe this endorsement is the right one for right now.
Naturally they would that paper is a tool of the Tea party