Arizona GOP chair hopeful Kelli Ward’s husband allegedly assaulted volunteer
Jan 16, 2019, 9:06 AM | Updated: 4:02 pm
Arizona GOP Chair Kelli Ward, left, and her husband, Michael Ward. (Flickr/Gage Skidmore)
(Flickr/Gage Skidmore)
PHOENIX — The husband of twice-failed U.S. Senate candidate Kelli Ward is accused of assaulting one of her former volunteers at an election night party last year.
A spokesman for Ward, who is running for Arizona Republican Party chair, said the allegation of Michael Ward spitting on a volunteer over the worker’s support of Ward’s one-time opponent Martha McSally was “literally the epitome of fake news.”
The alleged assault occurred at the Arizona Republican Party’s general-election night gala at the Paradise Valley Doubletree Resort on Nov. 6. Republican Ward had run for the U.S. Senate seat that is currently being held by Democrat Kyrsten Sinema. McSally had won the Republican primary for the seat.
Paradise Valley police spokesman Lt. Michael Cole told KTAR News that there were no charges filed against Ward and the case was closed.
“Dr. Ward is focused on moving the party forward, not engaging in mud-slinging,” spokesman Zachery Henry said in a statement to KTAR News.
“If the (Arizona Republican Party) under (current chairman Jonathan) Lines wants to break the 11th Commandment, that’s on them,” referring to a phrase created under the California Republican Party that reads: “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.”
Arizona Republican Party Executive Director Kyle Pierce called the allegations “extremely disappointing.”
Ward announced her bid for chair in November. The chairman election will take place on Jan. 26 and will be voted on by the newly elected state committee members from each district or county committee.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jeremy Foster contributed to this report.
