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Article snippet: MORE's decision to remain on the sidelines has caused a protracted and costly Republican primary fight in Arizona, where the three candidates are heavily playing up their Trump bona fides despite no endorsement in sight. All three candidates – establishment favorite Rep. MORE (R-Ariz.), her main GOP rival Kelli Ward, and outside shot former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio – have personal connections to Trump, a reason political observers believe have led him to sit this primary out. Those kind of numbers and the intensity of the fight are worrying some Republicans as McSally, the candidate who is leading in the polls and the one believed to have the most general election appeal, is too mired in a primary fight to be focused on likely Democratic opponent, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.). The race for the seat being vacated by departing Sen. . While the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) hasn’t publicly weighed in on the race, Senate Majority Leader MORE (R-Ky.) has lauded her as one of the party’s top recruits this cycle. And the NRSC reportedly asked Trump to endorse McSally ahead of the primary, according to Politico. The problem is that the president has also praised Ward, while pardoning Arpaio following his conviction for criminal contempt. “I think [Trump] has a personal affinity to Martha, I think he sees her as tough and willing to speak her mind,” said Sean Noble, a longtime Arizona Republican strategist. “I think whether he does or not, s... Link to the full article to read more