Arizona Sen. Martha McSally (R) who is trailing in polls behind a Democratic challenger, recently told supporters to “fast a meal” and donate those funds to her campaign.
In an audio recording obtained by Arizona’s Family, the Republican senator who was endorsed by Trump, explained to her audience that more money would be needed to defeat her opponent Mark Kelly whose fundraising efforts have slotted him above her.
“We’re doing our part to catch up, you know, to get our message out. But it takes resources. So, anybody can give, I’m not ashamed to ask, to invest,” McSally pleaded at a recent campaign in northern Arizona. “If you can give a dollar, five dollars, if you can fast a meal and give what that would be.”
Although she has been a top fundraiser among GOP peers, McSally’s $11 million in cash is still just about half the size of Kelly’s $21 million.
McSally’s comments come as many Americans continue to struggle under the financial duress of a COVID-19 economy that has shattered their livelihood.
McSally’s campaign has said the suggestion to skip a meal was a joke.
Caroline Anderegg, a McSally campaign spokeswoman shrugged pushback, calling it a “dumb, non-story” about a candidate. Anderegg told the Arizona Republic that it was “disgusting” that the Senator’s comments were being used to launch “a misleading character assassination.”
“Martha has written checks to people on her block that can’t afford their groceries,” Anderegg said.
