1/26/19, “AZ moves right: Kelli Ward wins GOP state chair,” SeeingRedAz.wordpress.com
“Propelled by a massive show of support at Arizona’s Republican statutory day-long Saturday meeting, Dr. Kelli Ward, a Trump-supporting conservative easily secured the party’s top leadership post.
Ward, a physician and former two-term state senator, addressed the jubilant crowd following the announcement of the vote totals. Having traveled the state as a U.S. Senate candidate, she secured a loyal following, trouncing incumbent chairman Jonathan Lines by over a hundred votes cast by elected state committeemen. Doyel Shamley, unknown outside of Navajo County also entered the race, receiving only 65 votes.
Incumbent chairman Lines running for reelection had an uphill battle after presiding over numerous losses of previously held Republican elected offices in the November 2018 election.
Following the vote, a petulant Lines abruptly left the meeting of 1,236 assembled state committeemen who traveled from every statewide county. He reportedly had to be cajoled into returning via a phone call exchange with the previous chairman Robert Graham.
Congressmen Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar and David Schweikert addressed the crowd, as did Congresswoman Debbie Lesko who spoke from D.C. on a video hookup. Newly appointed U.S. Senator [Establishment] Martha McSally, misjudged the crowd as she spoke warmly of the “leadership of Jonathan Lines.”
Gov. Doug Ducey, who also spoke in support of Lines, summed up the feelings of many attendees, with this understatement, “Like you, I was disappointed that we fell short in some of the races.”
Yep.”
................
Comments to above: Arizona Republicans eager to unite, free of poisonous John McCain/Jeff Flake Establishment Syndicate are reminded that yes, we do want to unite, but must be aware that cancerous surrogates remain: “State Committeeman” responds (below): “Yes, we do need to come together, but we also need to realize that we have enemies among us. It’s far worse being undermined by a fellow Republican than a Democrat. The word RINO serves a very real purpose in identifying a traitorous backstabber.”
“7 Comments to AZ moves right: Kelli Ward wins GOP state chair:”
“Mike says:
U.S. Senator Martha McSally and Gov. Doug Ducey are out of touch with today’s Republicans now that we have been freed from the McCain factor. May he rest in peace, and may we move forward.”
………………….
“Trevor says:
………………………
“PC/SC says:
“PC/SC says:
When the motion was made to hold a roll call vote for Chairman rather than voting by cell phones, many in the room voiced that UNITY was at stake, and it appeared to be a thinly-veiled threat that if the assemblage failed to allow the “establishment” to count the votes, the AZGOP would splinter, and fall apart.
Now that the roll-call vote was taken, and Ms Ward won, it is time for those who did not vote for her to “walk the walk” and make sure that the “unity” they clamored about comes to pass.
We WILL be watching!!”
………………………..
“Ellsworth says:
It was clear to me and other state committeemen I spoke with today that the reason behind the “clamor” for a roll call vote was extreme distrust of the establishment’s fingers in the election pie.
We’ve had enough of the McCain/Kyl/Flake shenanigans. They are all history and we supported a roll call vote so that integrity would prevail over slippery antics. The old saying that “power corrupts but absolute power corrupts absolutely,” is as true as it’s ever been.
One anti-roll call speaker took his turn at the microphone and attempted to frighten the delegates by saying it would take “10 or 12 hours” to count the votes. If the votes were counted in the individual districts, it would have taken minutes. He also railed about the need for a “secret vote.” Congress doesn’t vote in secret and neither does anyone wearing a lapel pin sporting a candidates name or driving a car with a political bumper sticker, Most of us are proud of the candidates and issues we support.”
………………………..
“George Moriarty says:
Congratulations to Kelli Ward. Now is the time for all Republicans, all factions, all persuasions to see this as a chance to unify and focus on our real opponents–the Democrats. To that end, I hope all of us will stop hurling expletives and casting aspersions (yes, RINO is definitely an aspersion) at each other and join forces. If we don’t, 2020 will likely be a repeat of 2018, and 2022 will be a bloodbath for Republicans. United we . . . ; divided we . . . ! Let’s take advantage of this opportunity and get it right.”
…………………..
“State Committeeman says:
Yes, we do need to come together, but we also need to realize that we have enemies among us. It’s far worse being undermined by a fellow Republican than a Democrat. The word RINO serves a very real purpose in identifying a traitorous backstabber.”
Added: One day before the vote for Republican chair in Arizona:
1/25/19, “McCain’s corruption still haunts AZ GOP in advance of state meeting,” SeeingRedAz
“As the meeting date approaches, current AZ GOP chairman Jonathan Lines, who oversaw unparalleled Republican losses in November, is shamelessly running for reelection. Two other lesser known men have been campaigning. All of them are linked to the establishment syndicate, with longtime ties to John McCain — and now, his surrogates. Lines was put in place by former chairman, Robert Graham, a slickster still pulling the strings of the chairman, who lives nearly 200 miles away in Yuma, runs a roofing business, parents his 11 children and seldom shows up at the once vibrant Republican headquarters. The phones are rarely answered and messages are returned with the same infrequency. Pressure has been applied to candidate Frank Thorwald who works with Graham. He is now dutifully falling in line with Lines….
Fortunately, there is an outstanding choice to lead the Arizona Republican Party. Dr. Kelli Ward, a physician and constitutional conservative who served two terms in the state senate. She’s rock solid, has no puppet master and needs no learning curve. Arizona’s political future depends on getting this right.”
Wow – there are actually still some Republicans with brains left in Arizona! What with all the RINO re-elections over the past few years I was beginning to have serious doubts.”
……………………….
“Michael Schmitz says: