Fox News contributor Tomi Lahren took a jab at Senator John McCain on Friday, hours after his family announced that he would no longer receive treatment for the aggressive brain cancer he’s been battling for the last year.
Lahren made the tone-deaf comments during a campaign event in Arizona for Republican senate candidate Kelli Ward, who is challenging senator Jeff Flake.
While addressing a group of Ward supporters, Lahren reportedly said: ‘We can’t put up another RINO like McCain and Flake’.
CNN reporter Kyung Lah, who was covering the event, tweeted that when Ward got up to speak she repeated Lahren’s comment saying they could not elect another McCain or Flake.
During a campaign event in Arizona on Friday, Fox News host Tomi Lahren slammed ailing John McCain as a RINO or Republican In Name Only
McCain, pictured in DC last year, has been battling aggressive brain cancer. His family announced on Friday that he was stopping medical treatment
The term RINO stands for Republican In Name Only and is used by conservative Republicans against other Republicans who they believe has fallen short of certain political ideals and are more liberal than they feel they should be.
Lahren made the remark the same day the McCain family thanked everyone for their support and said the 81-year-old senator and war hero had chosen to stop medical treatment more than a year after he revealed he was battling glioblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer.
‘The progress of disease and inexorable advance of age render their verdict,’ the family said in a statement shared on Twitter by his daughter and The View co-host Meghan McCain. ‘With his usual strength of will, he has now chosen to discontinue medical treatment.’
It continued: ‘Our family is immensely grateful for the support and kindness of all his caregivers over the last year, and for the continuing outpouring of concern and affection from John’s many friends and associates, and the many thousands of people who are keeping him in their prayers.’
Meghan said in a tweet that her family could not have made it as far as they did without the ‘love and generosity’ they received from everyone.
‘You’ve given us strength to carry on,’ she added.
According to a CNN reporter, Kelli Ward repeated Lahren’s comment saying they could not elect another McCain or Flake
Senator Jeff Flake was also labeled as a RINO by Ward and Lahren during the campaign event in Arizona on Friday
Cindy McCain, the senator’s wife, tweeted: ‘I love my husband with all of my heart. God bless everyone who has cared for my husband along this journey’.
Lahren was slammed on social media for her comment about McCain.
‘It’s DISGUSTING to read about @kelliwardaz and @TomiLahren attacking @SenJohnMcCain at a campaign event on the same day he ended treatment for cancer,’ journalist Roland Martin tweeted. ‘I hope she loses. Not because she’s a Republican. But because she doesn’t deserve to follow him into the Senate. She’s uncouth.’
Fellow journalist Thor Benson called Lahren a ‘disgusting human being’, while Twitter user Marc Anthony said she was an ‘idiot’.
‘Remind me what war #TheStupidBarbie served in,’ user Susan Campbell tweeted
Twitter user Marc Anthony said she was an ‘idiot’ and called McCain a ‘devout Christian’ and ‘patriot’
Fellow journalist Thor Benson called Lahren a ‘disgusting human being’ in a tweeted Friday nigght
‘It’s DISGUSTING to read about @kelliwardaz and @TomiLahren attacking @SenJohnMcCain at a campaign event on the same day he ended treatment for cancer,’ journalist Roland Martin tweeted
Charles Messing said Lahren was a ‘horrible human being’ and said she is what’s wrong with this country
Lahren has not commented on the backlash while Twitter users continue to slam her on social media
‘Saw where @TomiLahen said snide nonsense about @SenJohnMcCain as he and his family announce they won’t pursue further cancer treatment. Remind me what war #TheStupidBarbie served in,’ user Susan Campbell tweeted. ‘Remind me precisely what #StupidBarbie brings to the table’.
Ward came under fire earlier this week when she suggested that Flake and McCain were to blame for Mollie Tibbetts’ death after the 20-year-old’s body was found in a cornfield in Brooklyn, Iowa.
Cristhian Bahena Rivera, who is in the country illegally, was arrested and charged for killing the young woman while she was out for an evening jog.
‘The lack of leadership & courage by open border senators like @JeffFlake, @SenJohnMcCain, & #amnesty advocate Martha McSally contribute to these senseless deaths. We need true leadership in the Senate to #BuildTheWall & secure our borders! #VoteWard,’ she tweeted.