Sen. Martha McSally gives farewell speech on Senate floor: 'I gave it my all and I left it all on the field'
McSally was appointed to the Senate by Gov. Doug Ducey in 2018 to fill late Sen. John McCain’s seat
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Arizona Republican Sen. Martha McSally gave her farewell speech on the Senate floor Wednesday after losing her race for a vulnerable seat.
"As it has been for most chapters of my life, I didn't come here in the traditional or easy way ... I gave it my all and I left it all on the field," she told her colleagues.
McSally was appointed to the Senate by Gov. Doug Ducey in 2018 to fill late Sen. John McCain’s seat. She had previously lost a tight race to Democrat Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Accepting the governor's appointment to be a member of the world's most prestigious and powerful governing body was like most missions in my life: A high-risk, high-purpose endeavor," she said.
McSally lost her bid for reelection earlier this month to Democrat Mark Kelly, a former astronaut and retired U.S. Navy captain. She conceded the race to her opponent last week.
McSally’s seat was long thought to be one of the most competitive for Republicans this year, and Kelly’s campaign out-fundraised hers by $17 million.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}With 99% of votes counted, Kelly defeated McSally by almost 80,000 votes, or 51.18% to 48.82%.
McSally served for 26 years in the U.S. Air Force before retiring as a colonel in 2010. During her tenure, she became the first woman in U.S. history to fly a fighter jet in combat as well as the first to command a fighter squadron.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}McSally jumpstarted her career in politics in 2012 running in a special election for the Copper State's eighth congressional district — a seat vacated coincidentally by Kelly's wife and former congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords.
She was unsuccessful in the primary, but that same year ran for and won the Republican nomination in the second district.
MCSALLY CONCEDES TO MARK KELLY IN ARIZONA SENATE RACE
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This year’s special election garnered national attention as Democrats orchestrated an effort to flip the Senate, quickly becoming one of the most expensive races for the upper chamber in modern history.
Arizona was one of a couple of states that saw increased support for Democrats this year after voting in favor of President Trump four years ago.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Fox News Decision desk called Arizona on election night in favor of now-President-elect Joe Biden.