Embattled Sen. McSally Tells Backers Not To Eat And Give Her The Money They Save

Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz) has cooked up an unusual fundraising pitch: She wants supporters to “fast” for a meal — then give her the money that they save for her campaign.

Stunned critics pointed out that this is the same senator who voted for tax cuts for corporations and billionaires. 

“We’re doing our best to catch up, you know, to get our message out,” she told backers in an audio recording of a recent meeting in northern Arizona obtained by CBS affiliate KPHO-TV . “But it takes resources ... if you can give $5, $10. If you can, fast a meal and give what that would be.”

McSally is struggling against her Democratic rival, former astronaut Mark Kelly — the husband of shooting survivor and former Rep. Gabby Giffords — who is polling at least five points ahead of the Republican. He also reportedly had more than twice the campaign cash on hand as McSally did in mid-July.

Officials with her campaign insisted that McSally was joking about skipping a meal — though she didn’t sound like she was joking.

“This is a dumb non-story about a candidate making a joke on the stump ,” campaign spokesperson Caroline Anderegg told the Arizona Republic. She said McSally would “literally give the shirt off her back for anyone.” 

Twitter wits weren’t buying it.