Apparently, Arizona Central News has thoughts about the re-election of Dr. Kelli Ward as Arizona Republican Party Chairperson:

“Kelli Ward, the fractious leader of the Arizona Republican Party, narrowly beat back significant competition on Saturday to win another two-year term as the organization’s chairwoman despite the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.”

They say “despite the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.” What they fail to realize that it was because of this endorsement she crossed the finish line.

While 30 writers in DC are debating how to purge “Trumpism” from the GOP, I just drove by this.

Y’all are the ones who need to change. The people want something totally different than what you’re offering. pic.twitter.com/GtlL2iNkMd

— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) January 24, 2021

But those establishment types are holding on to their narrative and ratios. Those purity tests, yo.

Killing the Arizona GOP. https://t.co/2FuBSbctgZ

— Reagan Battalion (@ReaganBattalion) January 24, 2021

I believe that’s the point. The age of Goldwater and McCain had its place. But that age is over.

People who have never lost a statewide primary or general election in Arizona:

John McCain
Jeff Flake
Doug Ducey

People who have lost every time in a statewide Republican primary in Arizona:

Kelli Ward https://t.co/KuV9CLPVuO

— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) January 24, 2021

Kelli Ward has driven the AZ GOP into the ground. They've lost every important race for several cycles.

No wonder Ducey isn't interested in running for the Senate in 2022. https://t.co/52nxciPqjJ

— AG (@AGHamilton29) January 24, 2021

Democrats are dancing over Ward’s re-election win because they see it as insurance that they can flip Arizona completely Blue.

After overseeing AZ’s presidential & Senate flip to Dems, @kelliwardaz spent the past 3 mos spreading baseless conspiracy theories about the election & losing frivolous legal challenges, while hemorrhaging GOP-registered voters (https://t.co/fSAS9B5k7U). Expect more of the same.. https://t.co/1HWyusOes0

— Brad Bainum (@bradbainum) January 23, 2021

Legacy media is spinning it as a turn to Trumpism, and throwing shade as a losing strategy:

The @AZGOP re-elects @kelliwardaz. She played a recorded endorsement message from Donald Trump as part of her speech. @AZGOP chooses to stick with Trumpism after Dems flip AZ for both the President and US Senate in 2020 https://t.co/TvEqkJvoDs

— Kyung Lah (@KyungLahCNN) January 23, 2021

Ahead of Saturday’s election, Dr. Ward took to Townhall to make her case on why the AZ GOP is holding strong, despite the Democrat Left and Republican Elites opinions to the contrary:

“In conjunction with the RNC, Trump Victory, and our partners at the NRSC and NRCC, we protected all our Republican U.S. House seats in Arizona, which was critical ahead of statewide redistricting. We also defended our majorities in the Arizona State Legislature and on the Arizona Corporation Commission. In addition, we won important races in Maricopa County for Recorder, Attorney, Assessor, and more.

“We accomplished this with a three-pronged approach that focused on fundraising, candidate support, and activating the grassroots.

“The Republican Party of Arizona raised and directed over $23.5 million during the 2020 election – nearly four times the amount that was spent during the 2018 cycle. Today, our state party is in much better financial shape than it was even two years ago.

[…]

“All our work has laid an incredible foundation for the future. Now, we must continue to push for election integrity through effective legislation and committed leaders; reclaim the statewide and federal offices that were lost in 2018, including Secretary of State and Superintendent of Public Instruction; keep control of our other statewide offices, including Governor, Attorney General, and Treasurer; put up a strong, conservative nominee to win the U.S. Senate race; and expand our majorities in the State Legislature.”

One of Ward’s first acts in her new term was censuring Governor Doug Ducey, Cindy McCain, and former Senator Jeff Flake. Live by purity tests, die by purity tests.

Ward is also committed to seeing the audit of the 2020 Election in Arizona through and making strides to ensure election integrity as she reiterated in an interview with the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

“In a brief interview, Ward acknowledged ‘disappointment at the top of the ticket’ but said she and many other Republicans still question the results showing victories for Biden and Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly. Judges have rejected eight lawsuits challenging Arizona’s election results.

“Ward pointed to GOP successes down the ballot, noting Republicans defied expectations in local races.

“Ward said she’s a ‘Trump Republican’ who will ‘always put America first, who believes in faith, family and freedom.’ The way forward for the GOP, she said, is keeping Trump’s 74 million voters engaged.”

Will Ward’s presence and work in the Arizona GOP make a difference nationally? Some are skeptical:

Kelli Ward's being reelected chairman of the Arizona Republican Party in January of 2021 will have zero effect on the national political environment in October of 2022, and anyone claiming otherwise is either wishcasting or ignorant of how American politics works.

— Varad Mehta (@varadmehta) January 24, 2021

Others are warning Democrats not to get complacent:

Democrats it is not a good thing that Kelli ward won, because she’s actually in power. It’s fine to root for mtg for senate, because that would kick her out of the house and fail, but it’s bad when loons take over the opposition. There is a difference between Rubio and Gaetz

— Gabe (@DogPhoenixWP) January 23, 2021

You might want to check out the state offices and understand what happened with the US Senate seats.
I wouldn't get comfortable if I were blue.

— Nailed It (@evangie) January 22, 2021

The Chairperson’s job is to get out the vote for their party, hold the line within the State, and build solid and credible candidates locally, and mold some of those candidates to launch nationally. The fact that the Statewide offices and Congressional seats still reflect Red is a stronger marker towards turning the Senate seats that were flipped back to Red. If you are not building strong, grassroots, and conservative talent, you will continue to get Martha McSallys, Jeff Flakes, and John McCains. You may even get Senator Doug Ducey, which, I believe, is part of what Ward is looking to prevent.

Ward is drawing a line in the sand on where she stands in the political divide, something that too many in the GOP refuse to do. Her election is less about GOP purity, and more about GOP re-definition. The Republican elite should take note, as it is occurring throughout the nation; whether they like it or not.