WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Two-term Congresswoman Martha McSally, R-Ariz., on Friday officially jumped into the race for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.
McSally announced the widely expected decision in a video posted to YouTube highlighting her experience as an Air Force combat pilot.
'I'm a fighter pilot and I talk like one. That's why I told Washington Republicans to grow a pair of ovaries and get the job done,' McSally says in the video. 'Now I'm running for the Senate to fight the fights that must be won.'
McSally also sought to link herself to President Donald Trump, saying, 'Like our president, I'm tired of P.C. politicians and their B.S. excuses.'
The announcement from McSally comes just days after controversial former Sheriff Joe Arpaio revealed he is also running for the seat.
McSally and Arpaio will face off against state senator Kelli Ward in the Republican primary scheduled for August 28th.
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Spokesman David Bergstein argued that the Republican primary will be 'nasty, expensive and very long.'
'It will drain the GOP's resources, demoralize their voters, and expose the flaws in each of their candidates,' Bergstein said in a statement.
The winner of the Republican primary is likely to face Democratic Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., in the general election.
Democrats are likely to target McSally's congressional district, although National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, expressed confidence the seat would remain in the GOP's hands.
Stivers described the seat as Republican-leaning, although Hillary Clinton won the district by five points in last year's presidential election.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX