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Martha McSally wins Arizona primary

Arizona Rep. Martha McSally won the Republican primary for U.S. Senate.

Data: Associated Press; Chart: Axios Visuals

Why it matters: She's considered the strongest Republican candidate (of the three in this primary) to face Democrat Kyrsten Sinema in the fight for Sen. Jeff Flake's seat.

Between the lines: McSally's willingness to tie herself to president Trump could hurt her in November.

  • Her challenge now is to find a way to address both moderate Republicans and independents, while also pledging to move forward on the president's agenda.

One more thing: NYT's Jonathan Martin reports on McSally's endorsement talks with the White House ... "As for Ms. McSally’s race in Arizona ... Trump’s advisers determined that she would probably win the primary even without the president’s support. Her pleas, they decided, were aimed only at saving a few million dollars she would need to spend to ensure victory without the president’s blessing."

2018 midterm elections