Arizona Sen. Martha McSally is one of the Democrats‘ top targets for 2020. | Chris Carlson/AP Photo 2020 ELections Martha McSally moves to head off GOP primary challenge The Arizona senator asked President Donald Trump and other top Republicans to help her block a potential GOP opponent exploring a run.

Arizona Sen. Martha McSally has grown fearful of a 2020 primary challenge in recent days, kicking off a flurry of efforts to protect her at the highest levels of the Republican Party.

In a series of conversations with senior Republicans including President Donald Trump, the senator has raised alarms about Daniel McCarthy, a skincare company executive who helped bankroll Trump’s 2016 campaign. McSally, who was appointed to her seat in early 2019 after losing a 2018 Senate race, faces a treacherous special election next year in a state that’s growing increasingly friendly to Democrats, and Republicans worry that a primary fight will further complicate her prospects.


Now, they are mobilizing to stop it, and the behind-the-scenes activity spilled out into the open on Tuesday when Trump abruptly tweeted out an endorsement for McSally.

“A brave former fighter jet pilot and warrior, Senator Martha McSally of Arizona has done an outstanding job in D.C., and is fully supportive of our agenda – she is with us all the way,” Trump wrote. “Martha is strong on Crime and Borders, the 2nd Amendment, and loves our Military and Vets. She has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”

McCarthy, a Trump backer who founded the Makeup Eraser beauty care line in 2013, has privately expressed interest to Arizona Republicans about challenging McSally, highlighting the tightrope that she and other swing-state Republicans face as they prepare for the 2020 elections — facing pressure both from a conservative base demanding fealty to the president and a general electorate that’s no longer a sure thing for the GOP.

Playbook PM Sign up for our must-read newsletter on what's driving the afternoon in Washington. Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

McSally hewed close to the president in 2018, a decision that helped her win a primary but ultimately may have cost her the general election against Democrat Kyrsten Sinema. Since her appointment to the Senate, McSally has shown some independence from the administration, speaking to Trump privately about his attacks on the late Arizona Sen. John McCain and calling for an investigation into reports that the White House asked for a warship named after McCain to be moved out of the president’s view during a trip to Japan. McSally has already drawn a marquee Democratic challenger for 2020, retired astronaut Mark Kelly.

Word of McCarthy’s flirtation with a GOP Senate run against her filtered back to McSally, who has directly expressed concern to Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Todd Young. McConnell and Trump spoke about the issue last Thursday as well, when McConnell asked the president to endorse McSally. Trump agreed and spoke with McSally later that night, according to a person familiar with the conversation.

McSally also called Marc Short, Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, to ask for help with the race.

The wheels of the party machinery have begun to whir in response to McSally’s entreaties. The Senate GOP campaign arm produced opposition research on McCarthy. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel called McCarthy and asked him to stand down, according to two people familiar with the conversation. And Trump's endorsement came soon after McSally had stood behind the president in the Oval Office for a bill signing ceremony.

Trump’s endorsement also comes at a key moment for McSally, who is relaunching her 2020 campaign with a different leadership team than she had in 2018. Terry Nelson, a veteran GOP operative with the firm FP1 Consulting, has stepped in as McSally’s lead consultant, taking over that role from longtime McSally strategist Jeff Roe. Roe remains a part of McSally’s team.

Katie Waldman, a McSally spokeswoman, declined to comment specifically on the backstage discussions that led to the endorsement.

"Martha is appreciative of the president's endorsement. She is thankful for his support in her 2020 election,” said Waldman.

Neither the White House nor McCarthy responded to requests for comment.

James Arkin contributed reporting.