Why did McSally lose to Sinema in Arizona?

Will Gov. Ducey appoint Martha McSally to that open McCain senate seat in Arizona in January?

Ignore defeatist talk from Erickson and Podhoretz. While there are certainly problems, their default #OrangeManBad mode whenever there is a setback is tiresome and also not correct (certainly not in Arizona). Still, there are lessons to be learned here (and in other races across the country).

Jon Gabriel is a bit more on it. His analysis is more useful and spot on: McSally played it too safe, did not sell her case to Arizona voters, and Sinema out campaigned her. There is a reason Flake dropped out--he would have lost far worse. There are lessons to be learned here, you still need to campaign to win, you need an affirmative message, you need the support of your base, and you need to reach out to independents.

As much as I loath Sinema's positions, she out campaigned McSally. McSally was by far the better candidate, with far better policy positions, but she didn't manage to close the deal with Arizona voters. In the same election, Governor Ducey got 200,000 more Republican votes that McSally did. Why is that? Sorry Erick, but Ducey is far close to Trump than McSally.

American Power: Martha McSally Concedes

AoSHQ: Morning Report 11.13.18 Arizona Cong Show

A Republican who lost his House seat in last week's midterm election says the late Senator John McCain helped Democrats win back the House by voting in 2017 against a GOP Obamacare repeal bill.

https://t.co/IALtKUSpY8

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) November 12, 2018

I do not get how McSally got 200,000 less Republican votes than Ducey. Especially when the alternative was Socialist Sinema who flat out hates you all. #StopTheSteal https://t.co/12z49HzrvC

— Evi L. Bloggerlady (@MsEBL) November 13, 2018

John McCain’s vote killed ObamaCare repeal and made Democratic lies impossible to refute in the midterms, writes @Jason2CD https://t.co/3LGyoMVTu3 via @WSJOpinion

— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) November 12, 2018

Power Line: Democrats Begin To Fold Their Tents
AoSHQ: Morning Report 11.16.18: Florida Fiasco Fixed

Instapundit: Democrats flipped the House with help from high income voters

TOM: Late Night With The Mailbox 11.12.18: Mark Steyn: The Four Chads Return, Power Line: Republicans Fight Back In Florida, also, A Second Look At Last Week’s Election, Legal Insurrection: AZ Senate – Why Did McSally Underperform Other GOP Candidates?