Things just got a whole lot more exciting in the Arizona U.S. Senate Race:
http://atr.rollcall.com/...
Arizona Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick will challenge Republican Sen. John McCain for Senate, according to a source with knowledge of Kirkpatrick’s plans, giving Democrats a top recruit and a potential pickup opportunity.
Kirkpatrick made calls Monday to inform people of her plans, the source told CQ Roll Call. Her bid also opens up Arizona’s 1st District, a GOP-leaning seat spanning the northeast quadrant of the state.
An hour after this story was published, Kirkpatrick sent out an email making it official. “I love this state, and I’ve worked hard all my life to put Arizona first,” she said in a video. “From the timber towns of the White Mountains to the tech hubs of Phoenix and Tucson, we are working to build a strong, diverse economy. I’m fighting for Arizona every single day, and I’d be humbled to represent our state in the United States Senate.”
She touted her service on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and work on a project she described as aimed at wildfire prevention and job creation in Arizona. - Roll Call, 5/26/15
McCain himself already has a primary battle to look forward to:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/...
For months, there have been rumblings of a conservative primary challenge to McCain. A Public Policy Polling survey in early May found Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) running just one point behind McCain, while Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ) polled two points behind the senator and state Sen. Kelli Ward (R) trailing McCain 44 percent to 31 percent.
If one of those conservative Republicans challenge McCain —especially Schweikert or Salmon— they would likely have the backing of powerful outside groups like the Senate Conservatives Fund (SCF) or Club for Growth, which heavily backed tea party primary challengers in the last cycle. Less than a week ago, SCF sent an email to supporters titled "Time to Replace John McCain."
"John McCain lost his way a long time ago and it's time to replace him with a strong conservative leader who will support and defend the Constitution," SCF President Ken Cuccinelli wrote in the email. - TPM, 5/26/15
It's looking like McCain has overstayed his welcome but of course it's still too early to really say anything. But if you would like to get involved with Kirkpatrick's campaign, you can do so here:
http://www.kirkpatrickforsenate.com/