Martha McSally to give speech during Republican National Convention

PHOENIX — U.S. Sen. Martha McSally of Arizona will have a speaking role at the Republican National Convention, she told the KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Thursday.

“I do have a short speech that will be played,” she said.  “These are challenging times, of course, to do a convention like this, but I was proud to be asked to participate.”

The RNC is scheduled to begin Monday, based in Charlotte, North Carolina. But like the Democratic National Convention taking place this week, it will be far from the usual affair because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Republican Party has kept many of the details under wraps. It’s known that the number of delegates on site will be limited, and some content, such as McSally’s speech, will be presented via video.

McSally said she did not know who else from Arizona will be featured during the event.

“I just was honored to be asked and we put a little video together,” she said.

The event will go through Aug. 27.

The DNC started Monday and ends Thursday.

“I haven’t watched any of it, I’ve had a busy schedule all week,” she said. “I’ve just seen some reporting on it … let the pundits talk about it.”

McSally is facing a tough challenge from Democrat Mark Kelly in her bid to retain the seat she was appointed to following the death of longtime Sen. John McCain.

She’s trailed by as much as 13 percentage points in polling by OH Predictive Insights, but her deficit was was down to 5 points in the Phoenix research firm’s August poll.

The seat is a key prize in the battle to control the Senate, so it’s not surprising that she’s getting a turn in the convention spotlight.

Kelly’s wife, former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, spoke at the Democratic convention on Wednesday night.

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