WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., criticized a Senate candidate Saturday after she said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., should step down following his brain cancer diagnosis.
Appearing on WOWO-AM in Fort Wayne, Indiana, former Arizona state Senator Kelli Ward said Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey should appoint her to fill McCain’s seat.
McCain’s office said Wednesday he had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, this is an aggressive form of brain cancer that occurs more often in older adults, and treatment includes surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
“I feel for Sen. McCain and his family because they’ve got a lot of decisions ahead of them,” Ward said. “They’ve got to deal with finding out that he has this devastating, terminal illness, and then figure out how he’s going to be able to cope with being treated. Obviously, it’s not curative treatment but palliative treatment so that he’s not suffering.”
Ward, a doctor and Fairmont, West Virginia native, later noted while she would not assume someone’s prognosis without seeing them in person, the likelihood of McCain returning to the Senate and remaining a significant player is low. She added if McCain’s seat were to open, she would like to be considered for the position.
“I have a proven track record in the Arizona State Senate of being extremely effective, and of listening to the voice of the people I represent,” she said.
Ward said in a statement Friday she wished McCain well, but added, “I usually advise terminal patients to reduce stress, relax, and spend time laughing with loved ones.”
“In all the ways I measure good Senate colleagues (honor, class, integrity) Kelli Ward falls short,” Manchin tweeted Saturday. “Ppl like her aren’t welcome in the US Sen.
“People like Kelli Ward are what’s wrong with politics today. The people of AZ deserve representatives with dignity & decency.”
Ward ran against McCain in the 2016 Senate Republican primary, losing by 13 points. On the campaign trail, she called McCain “old” and “weak,” and mentioned in interviews the possibility of McCain dying in office.
She is currently challenging Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., for the Republican nomination in 2018.
McCain tweeted Thursday he appreciates the support he has received and would return to Washington soon.