Primary opponent: McCain has ‘issues about race’

by Jessie Hellmann - 08/27/16 9:15 AM ET

Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) primary challenger says the five-term senator has “several issues about race.”

{mosads}A day after former Arizona state Sen. Kelli Ward slammed the 79-year-old McCain for his age, she also suggested he may have a problem with racial issues.

“He’s got several issues about race himself, voted against MLK Day, hired Strom Thurmond’s, one of his advisers who praised the death of Lincoln,” Ward told MSNBC on Friday.

“There are a lot of things that in November are not going to play well with voters. And so we as Republicans have to look to who we want downballot from Donald Trump so that we’re able to keep that seat. He’s unable to win. He’s too weak to win in November. Against an Obama, you know, a rubber stamp Obama Democrat in Queen of Obamacare Ann Kirkpatrick.”

Ward suggested earlier this week McCain may not live to finish out a six-year term.

“John McCain is falling down on the job, he’s gotten weak and he’s gotten old. I do want to wish him a happy birthday, he’s going to be 80 on Monday. And I want to give him the best birthday present ever, the gift of retirement,” Ward said Thursday on MSNBC’s “MTP Daily with Chuck Todd.”

“I’m a physician, I see the physiological changes that happen in normal aging in patients again and again and again over the last 25 years. I do know what happens to the body and the mind at the end of life.”

Ward is running a challenge from McCain’s right, embracing GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, who criticized McCain last year for being captured during the Vietnam War.

While Trump has significant support in Arizona, having won the GOP presidential primary by a 22-point margin, McCain still holds a healthy lead. The Senate primary is this Tuesday.

The winner is expected to face Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, the party’s overwhelming favorite in the primary race. McCain has led all recent polling against Kirkpatrick.

Tags Ann Kirkpatrick Donald Trump John McCain