Kelli Ward, who is challenging Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake in the Republican primary, took aim at Flake and Sen. John McCain in a new campaign ad using President Trump’s his criticisms of the two senators.
The 45-second ad, titled “Naming Jeff Flake,” opens with Trump speaking at Tuesday’s campaign-style rally in Phoenix and telling the crowd his White House aides urged him not to attack Flake by name.
“Please, Mr. President, don’t mention any names,” Trump says. “And nobody wants me to talk about your other senator, who is weak on borders, weak on crime, so I won’t talk about him.”
The ad then cuts to Ward.
“The president doesn’t need to name names because I will,” Ward says. “Jeff Flake is weak and he’s failed us in the Senate.”
The ad cuts back to Trump at the rally, lamenting the failure of a Senate bill repealing and replacing Obamacare.
“One vote away from victory after seven years,” Trump says.
Ward’s ad then shows footage of McCain casting his “no” vote against the healthcare bill.
McCain, along with Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, opposed the healthcare bill, killing it in the Senate.
“One vote. One vote from an Arizona senator would have repealed Obamacare,” Ward says. “We cannot let that happen again.”
According to The Hill, the ad will begin as a five-figure digital buy, but may expand to national cable spots next week.
Trump has done little to hide his dislike of Flake and has often used Twitter to criticize the Arizona senator, calling him “weak” on border security and crime.
The day after Trump vowed not to name Flake at his Phoenix rally, the president called Flake out on Twitter, saying Arizonans weren’t “a fan” of the senator.
Though the president hasn’t endorsed Ward, he cheered her this month for challenging Flake.
Trump has also met with other potential primary challengers, including state treasurer Jeff DeWit and former Arizona GOP Chairman Robert Graham.
Flake, too, is often critical of the president. His new book, “Conscience of a Conservative,” is a rebuke of the 2016 election and Trump.
