U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie Endorses John McCain Primary Challenger Dr. Kelli Ward

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. listens to testimony by
AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

Former Arizona State Senator Dr. Kelli Ward chalked up another congressional endorsement with Monday’s announcement that Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) supports Ward over longtime officeholder Sen. John McCain.

Rep. Massie said of Ward:

We need Dr. Ward in the U.S. Senate to stand with Rand Paul and Mike Lee. Her insights from the real world as a mother, military wife, and physician will be an invaluable addition in the fight against career politicians to reduce spending, reverse our national debt, repeal Obamacare, and return to a responsible foreign policy.

We can trust Dr. Ward to be ‘bold, fresh, and fearless’ in the U.S. Senate because of what she’s already done as a State Senator– standing up to the establishment in both parties against Medicaid expansion, fighting to reform welfare and defending Arizona’s sovereignty against unconstitutional federal education standards, gun control measures, and warrantless wiretapping of personal cell phone records without a warrant. The founding fathers sought to limit the federal government and preserve the power of the states in the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution. Dr. Kelli Ward is one of the few who really gets it.

Libertarian icon Ron Paul endorsed Ward in June. Paul and Ward share a background as practicing medical doctors. Paul spoke of the need to elect more people dedicated to smaller government like Ward to fight alongside his son Rand Paul in the U.S. Senate.

Ward stated in response to Massie’s endorsement:

I couldn’t be more honored to have Thomas Massie on board. Congressman Massie and I share the same basic governing philosophy. I will approach all legislation in the U.S. Senate with a two part test: Is it a legitimate government function? Is it Constitutional?

Justice Scalia nailed it: ‘The Constitution is not a living organism. It’s a legal document, and it says what it says and doesn’t say what it doesn’t say.’

Federal powers are strictly limited by their enumeration in Article I, Section 8. According to the Ninth and Tenth Amendments, all other rights and powers belong to the people and the States respectively. Thomas Massie and Ron Paul are the gold standard. I look forward to joining Rand Paul and Mike Lee as a Conservative Champion for the Constitution in the U.S. Senate.

Rep. Louie Gohmert, former Rep. Tom Tancredo, and Mississippi State Senator Chris McDaniel have also endorsed Ward.

Ward has been locked in a tight race with McCain. In a May Public Policy Polling poll Ward and McCain were tied 41-41 when matched up head to head. Two other Republicans in the race skewed the numbers in favor of McCain, but at least one of them has since left the race. Alex Meluskey left the race at the end of July; however he will still be listed on the ballot.

An August 2015 poll put Ward ahead of McCain by nine points. The Gravis Marketing poll found Ward winning 45 percent to McCain’s 36 percent.

Members of McCain’s own party officially censured the longtime incumbent in January 2014 stating that he “amassed a long and terrible record of drafting, co-sponsoring and voting for legislation best associated with liberal Democrats.” The censure cited specifically “such [things] as Amnesty, funding for ObamaCare, the debt ceiling, assaults on the Constitution and 2nd amendment, and has continued to support liberal nominees.”

Early voting has already begun and the election will culminate on the day of the Arizona primary election on August 30.

Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana 

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