People have to understand something about AZ.
I came here in 95 from upstate NY and did NOT bring east coast liberalism with me. It was still very much a rural state with old west values.
Today it is totally overrun with illegals and Californians that fled cali taxation...but BROUGHT their leftism with them. The very same thing goes for Nevada.
The conservatives still inhabit both places in number. But the ratio changed with the illegal influx and Californication.
Thus McCain.