Controversial former Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kelli Ward has landed a new gig since being defeated in the state’s GOP primary in August.
Ward, who was vying to replace Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., is set to star in a local theater production of “Mamma Mia” in Lake Havasu City, according to a Havasu News report published Monday.
“Kelli Ward’s next act? ‘Mamma Mia!'” #AZSEN (via @havasunews) https://t.co/LzBL8L6830 pic.twitter.com/sEGw0mahy0
— Dan Nowicki (@dannowicki) September 18, 2018
“It’s going to be exciting to be back in Havasu for one thing and, two, back on the stage doing some community theater,” Ward told the newspaper ahead of premiering her interpretation of the musical’s supporting role of Tanya on Nov. 2.
Ward, who lost her race to Rep. Martha McSally, said she does not plan to launch another bid for political office soon. Instead, the former state senator wants to devote time and energy to bolstering Republican majorities in Arizona and Washington.
“I want to use the network that I built and the connections that I have and the following, because we have a very large following in Arizona and across the country, to make sure that we continue to move the country in the right direction,” she added.
McSally is now in a tight contest with Democratic contender Rep. Kyrsten Sinema to represent Arizona in the Senate. Sinema has a 1.5 percentage point lead as of Sept. 15, according to RealClearPolitics’ poll aggregator.
Ward was widely criticized for claiming, hours before Sen. John McCain’s death, that the announcement he would no longer receive treatment for brain cancer was timed to undermine her campaign.
