On Monday evening, Rep. Martha McSally congratulated Rep. Kyrsten Sinema on her victory in the U.S. Senate race in a tweet. McSally conceded the race after a recent vote tally increased Sinema’s lead by 2 percentage points.
Congrats to @kyrstensinema. I wish her success. I’m grateful to all those who supported me in this journey. I’m inspired by Arizonans’ spirit and our state’s best days are ahead of us. pic.twitter.com/tw0uKgi3oO
— McSally For Senate (@MarthaMcSally) November 13, 2018
Long-time friend, Sam Stone told listeners of KFYI’s James T. Harris show today that he fears illegal ballot harvesting tipped the scales for Sinema.
U.S. Senator vote update Nov. 12 6:00 p.m.
| Choice | Polling Place | Early Ballot | Provisional Ballot | Maricopa | Total | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sinema, Kyrsten (DEM) | 92,944 | 343,443 | 1,394 | 659,540 | 1,097,321 | 49.68% |
| McSally, Martha (REP) | 104,352 | 342,645 | 966 | 611,161 | 1,059,124 | 47.96% |
| Green, Angela (GRN) | 4,741 | 18,975 | 99 | 28,307 | 52,122 | 2.36% |
Much like one of her mentors, the late Senator John McCain, McSally was not a popular figure due to the fact that she was seen by grassroots Republicans as a “carpetbagger.” The Republican Party establishment fought her Republican Primary challenger, Dr. Kelli Ward, every step of the way, and McSally could not convince the grassroots to rally around her.
Conservatives believed that Sinema, a native Arizonan, was largely protected by the mainstream media, who largely ignored her radically progressive history.
Related articles:
McSally, Sinema Stress Voting Records During Only Senate Debate
SNAFUs Haunt Maricopa County Recorder, Voters Diverted
Maricopa County Releases 2018 Primary Election Issues Report, Fontes Failed
McCain, McSally’s A-10 Budget Falls Short Of Promises
Sinema Ridiculed Arizonans As “Crazy” In 2011
Arizonans Deserve Better Than A Senator Who Mocks Them
The LGBTQ Victory Fund made Sinema one of its “Game Changer” candidates early on in her campaign. It held fundraisers on her behalf, directly contributed $10,000, and raised more than $97,000. LGBTQ Victory Fund works increase the number of openly LGBTQ elected officials at all levels of government.
“An LGBTQ woman winning a U.S. Senate seat in a state that voted for Trump is a game-changer, both for the LGBTQ community and the Democratic party,” said Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund. “Kyrsten’s victory makes clear that an LGBTQ candidate who listens to voters and prioritizes their issues can win elected office anywhere – blue state or red state. It also signals to the Democratic party that nominating more LGBTQ candidates for high-level positions should be a strategic priority, because their openness and authenticity resonates with independent voters. Now Kyrsten joins Senator Tammy Baldwin, fresh off a huge reelection victory, in a U.S. Senate that continues to disregard White House attacks on our community and refuses to consider protections that most Americans support. By doubling our influence with two passionate and tough LGBTQ women, however, the U.S. Senate will certainly find our community more difficult to ignore.”
Congratulations to Senator-Elect @kyrstensinema on a hard-fought victory. We also salute Rep. @MarthaMcSally — thank you for your service to our country in uniform and your representation of #AZ’s 2nd Congressional District. Thank you both for your historic campaigns.
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) November 13, 2018