The head of the Republican Party in Arizona is reportedly requesting supporters donate money to stop "gun grabber" Mark Kelly, a Democratic Senate candidate, "dead in his tracks."

State GOP Chairwoman Kelli Ward in a fundraising email sent Friday called on supporters to help defeat the former astronaut, who is also the husband of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), who resigned in 2012 after being seriously injured by a gunman's assassination attempt that left six other people dead.

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“Support the Republican Party of Arizona today and, together, we’ll stop gun-grabber Mark Kelly dead in his tracks,” Ward wrote in an email obtained by Bloomberg News and HuffPost.

In a post on Twitter, Ward called coverage of the email "utterly ridiculous," saying she in no way wishes harm to Kelly.

Utterly ridiculous! I don’t wish harm on Mr. Kelly. We disagree politically on the Constitution and the #2a, and I’m well aware of the harm his policies would cause should he ever be elected. Dishonest stories like this are dangerous and irresponsible! https://t.co/8wfU8QQtSO — Dr. Kelli Ward (@kelliwardaz) September 6, 2019

"This dangerous rhetoric has absolutely no place in Arizona and is what’s wrong with our politics," a Kelly campaign spokesman said in a statement. "Mark Kelly is running for Senate to overcome this type of nasty divisiveness that does nothing for Arizonans."

Kelly, a gun reform supporter, is seeking the seat held by Sen. Martha McSally Martha Elizabeth McSallyOn The Trail: Making sense of this week's polling tsunami The Hill's Campaign Report: Presidential polls tighten weeks out from Election Day Mark Kelly: Arizona Senate race winner should be sworn in 'promptly' MORE (R-Ariz.), who lost a 2018 race to Sen. Krysten Sinema Kyrsten SinemaReplacing Justice Ginsburg could depend on Arizona's next senator Why Trump, GOP are running into trouble in Arizona Gun control group to spend at least million in Arizona ahead of November MORE (D-Ariz.), but was appointed to replace the late Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainCrenshaw looms large as Democrats look to flip Texas House seat Analysis: Biden victory, Democratic sweep would bring biggest boost to economy The Memo: Trump's strengths complicate election picture MORE (R).

Kelly led McSally in a poll last month.

Ward herself ran for the Senate twice, falling in the Republican primary to McCain in 2016 and McSally in 2018.

—Updated at 3:55 p.m.