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Arizona Rep. Martha McSally announces bid for U.S. Senate

Posted at 3:26 AM, Jan 12, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-12 19:25:44-05

Congresswoman Martha McSally often looks to her career in the U.S. Air Force and as a Unit Commander as an important part of her career.

Today at Tucson International Airport, she stepped up here and flew out for the next stage of her political life.

Martha McSally used a World War II  training plane to head to a Phoenix-area campaign stop. 

The plane honors a connection to the female pilots who trained in World War II and delivered warplanes to combat assignments.

"I'm a fighter pilot and I talk like one. That's why I told Washington Republicans to grow a pair of ovaries and get the job done."

She spoke about her fight to be the first woman to fly in combat and promised to apply that determination and drive to help Arizona and the country.

"I've got a very strong reputation in our district, and we need to introduce myself to the rest of the voters out there who don't know me, don't know my background of service in the military; being ranked the 9th most effective member of Congress in my freshman term.."

In her statements and her first campaign ad, McSally is touting her support for President Trump and his agenda, in a race for Republican nomination where the other candidates also claim close ties to the President.

John Holden, a McSally supporter said, "if we get to the state level, the statewide level she should be able just to kick it.  And it's very important that we keep a strong conservative voice in Washington and I know there's a lot of talks, well she's not conservative enough.  I think she's a lot conservative over the other choices."

Now McSally has to fly over a field of other Republican candidates to earn the party's nomination, then win over voters for the general election.

Her announcement comes just days after former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio announced his bid for the seat.

She will run against Arpaio and former State Senator Kelli Ward.