Sen. Martha McSally has adopted an especially hard-line position on China in recent weeks, while Democratic challenger Mark Kelly continues to call the authoritarian regime a threat to American interests.
But the only one out there actually confronting China in the field is former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, Kelly’s wife.
Well, not Giffords herself – her namesake fast-attack stealth ship.
According a release from the Navy, the USS Gabrielle Giffords recently conducted a joint exercise in the South China Sea alongside a frigate from the Singapore Navy.
The maneuvers late last month were part of the U.S. 7th Fleet’s ongoing mission to protect American interests and support security and stability in the busy but disputed waters of the South China Sea, much of which has been claimed by the Chinese government.
The Giffords is an Independence-class littoral combat ship commissioned by the Navy in June 2017.
Long-time county supervisor refuses to debate challenger
As the August primary election approaches, the Pima County Democratic Party has invited candidates from a variety of seats to participate in virtual debates. One candidate, however, said he won’t have the opportunity to face his opponent, Sharon Bronson, because she allegedly declined to participate.
Juan Padrés, who is the only Democrat running against Bronson for District 3 of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, said he was concerned that “incumbents feel they don’t need to fully participate in the Democratic process” after being told that Bronson opted out of the debate.
Bronson, who was first elected to the board in 1996, did not respond to requests for comment.
“I think it’s a disservice to Pima County voters that they don’t get an opportunity to hear what candidate priorities will be for the next four years,” Padrés said. “We are living in very, very difficult times. There’s a lot of questions out there. And these are great platforms for us to articulate our vision. We have to be more accessible to the community.”
According to Alison Jones, chair of the Pima County Democratic Party, Bronson was not the only candidate who decided not to participate in the debate, including District 2 Supervisor Ramón Valadez.
Even as some are denied the opportunity to debate, candidates in District 1 and District 5 have all agreed to participate. Those debates will take place June 20.
State senate candidate references QAnon
For most people, the hashtag “#WWG1WGA” may look like a confusing jumble of characters.
To those who get it, though, it means a lot. It stands for “Where We Go One, We Go All” – the unofficial slogan of the QAnon movement. This movement, the descendant of the Pizzagate conspiracy theory, is complicated, but basically posits that an international cabal led by Hillary Clinton and others run a massive child trafficking and pedophilia ring, and that President Trump is secretly fighting them.
The “WWG1WGA” hashtag appeared three times since late March in the Twitter feed of GOP legislative candidate Justine Wadsack, who is running for state Senate in Legislative District 10. Most recently, on May 24, she chastised the apparel company Old Navy for using in an ad what she said was deep state symbolism — children with one eye closed, and another with bunny ears.
“#OldNavy, you’re losing customers with this ad for #Masks via blatant #DeepState#Symbolism (one eye & bunny ears) to push the #DemocratAgenda for #NewWorldOrder,” she wrote.
When asked Thursday about the posts, Wadsack said she is simply open-minded about alternative viewpoints.
“I think it’s important that I listen to every perspective, whether it be a constitutionalist or a QAnon supporter,” she said.
On a related issue that is under the purview of the state government, Wadsack also suggested on Twitter defunding and disbanding DCS, the state Department of Child Safety. Asked about that, she said the Twitter post was a take-off on the “Defund The Police” movement, but that she is seriously concerned that DCS abuses its power.
“There’s a lot of proof that they are behind medical kidnapping that leads to child trafficking,” she said.
Wadsack is the only GOP candidate in the district that covers much of midtown Tucson and the east side. The Democrats are also fielding just one candidate, Rep. Kirsten Engel.
