Tomi Lahren Calls John McCain 'RINO' On Same Day His Family Announced He Was Stopping Cancer Treatment

On the same day that John McCain's family announced that he was stopping cancer treatment, Tomi Lahren called the ailing senator a "RINO," meaning "Republican In Name Only."

Lahren, a Fox News contributor, slammed the senator during a campaign event in Arizona for Republican senate candidate Kelli Ward. While endorsing Ward, Lahren told the crowd that Congress couldn't afford to elect another "RINO" like McCain and Senator Jeff Flake.

CNN reporter Kyung Lah, who was covering the campaign event, first reported on Lahren's controversial statement on Twitter on Friday.

Lahren's comments came on the same day that the McCain family announced that the longtime lawmaker was halting treatment for an aggressive brain cancer. McCain was first diagnosed with glioblastoma in July of 2017. The Senator has been absent from Washington D.C. since December as he undergoes medical care.

But on Friday his family released a statement, in which they say that while McCain has "surpassed expectations for his survival" the disease has continued to progress.

"With his usual strength of will, he has now chosen to discontinue medical treatment," the statement read. "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."

McCain's daughter, Meghan, posted a heartfelt message on social media shortly after the announcement was made.

"My family is deeply appreciative of all the love and generosity you have shown us during this past year. Thank you for all your continued support and prayers. We could not have made it this far without you - you've given us strength to carry on," she wrote.

Lahren's comments that McCain was a Republican "in name only" likely refer to his voting record on the conservative effort to repeal and replace Obamacare last year.

The senator has voted twice against Republican-led legislation to replace the Affordable Care Act. In his first vote against the proposal, McCain had just returned to the Senate floor after receiving brain surgery for a tumor.

The action was met with criticism from some Republican lawmakers, and especially from Donald Trump. The president has repeatedly slammed McCain for his vote, the latest attack coming as recently as Tuesday evening at a rally in West Virginia. It was the same day that two of the president's former top confidants, Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort, were found guilty of federal crimes.

"I will tell you, it is being chipped away," Trump said of Obamacare during his speech. "You know, we had it beaten, but one man—I'm sure nobody knows who I'm talking about—voted no, shockingly. Really surprising to a lot of people, because he campaigned on repeal and replace, but we've really knocked it out, including the individual mandate."

McCain was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1982 and won a bid for the Senate just four years later. He has been representing the state of Arizona in Washington, D.C., ever since. In 2008 he ran for president on the Republican ticket, capturing 45 percent of the popular vote but ultimately losing to Barack Obama.

Before entering Congress, McCain served in the Navy as a pilot. While fighting in the Vietnam War, he spent over five years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam.