Politics

Kyl, McCain call Carmona ad featuring their praise ‘deeply dishonest’

Alexis Levinson Political Reporter
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Arizona Sens. John McCain and John Kyl panned as “deeply dishonest” an ad from Democratic Senate hopeful Richard Carmona that shows the two Republican senators praising him during his surgeon general confirmation hearings.

The two senators have endorsed Republican Rep. Jeff Flake in his bid to fill Kyl’s seat when he retires at the end of this term.

“In a deeply dishonest new TV ad, Richard Carmona implies that we support his campaign for Senate. We do not,” said Kyl and McCain in a statement.

“Mr. Carmona is committed to raising taxes and government spending, increasing our nation’s already out-of-control debt, and he supports President Obama’s health care law, Obamacare. Let’s be clear: Richard Carmona’s first vote in the Senate would be for Harry Reid and the Obama agenda,” the two senators said.

“As his new ad makes clear, Mr. Carmona is also willing to say or do just about anything to promote the interests of Richard Carmona, not the interests of the people of Arizona,” they went on. “It is shameful for Richard Carmona to try to deceive the voters in this way. It shows that he has no credibility, and it says everything the voters of Arizona need to know about Richard Carmona’s fitness for office. Jeff Flake is our candidate. He is a courageous, independent Arizona conservative – and he’s honest.”

The ad was released Thursday and features the two senators giving testimony in 2002 at the confirmation hearings for Carmona to become surgeon general. He served in the position under former Republican President George W. Bush.

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Alexis Levinson