Two-term U.S. Rep. Martha McSally was in Tucson on Friday to discuss the tax-cut proposal in the House, but refused to talk to the media about her plans for the Senate.
Seated next to Linda McMahon, the head of Small Business Administration and a member of Presidentβs Trumpβs Cabinet, McSally steered the discussion to the current tax structure affecting the nationβs small businesses.
After an hour-long, closed-door round-table discussion with several local business leaders about taxes and business regulations, McSally brushed off questions about her political future.
McSally, who represents Arizonaβs District 2, after being repeatedly asked by reporters, said it would be inappropriate to talk politics during an official congressional function. βThis is an official event in my official capacity, by ethics rules we are not allowed to talk about that,β McSally said.
Friday marks the second day in a row that McSally made herself available to talk to the press, but sidestepped questions about running for the Senate. Earlier this week, U.S. Rep. David Schweikert said he was told by McSally that she would run for Jeff Flakeβs open Senate seat in next yearβs GOP primary.
On Thursday, McSally corrected Fox News host Neil Cavuto, saying her plan to run for Senate βis not announced yet.β
McSally said she expects the House will vote on a tax bill sometime next week.
βWe are working through our bill, next week we should be voting on the floor of the House,β McSally told reporters at the meeting at Anewco Products, 1800 S. Research Loop.
More than 30 people protested outside the meeting, with local groups complaining McSally cherry-picks which business leaders she meets with.
A local political-action group, Represent Me AZ, said there were more than 20 business owners outside the meeting who would have loved to talk to McSally about various business issues.
