Posted on 05/26/2015 8:48:41 AM PDT by AuH2ORepublican
Updated, 10:50 a.m. | 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.
In the Senate contest, McCain, 78, is the heavy front-runner in his quest for a sixth term. But he faces a potentially strong challenge from the right flank of his party that could imperil his re-election bid, rated a Republican Favored contest by the Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report/Roll Call.
Kirkpatrick, 65, won re-election last fall in this district against all odds, defying a GOP wave that felled fellow moderate House Democrats. She has strong ties to the district’s Native American population, which made her uniquely able to carry the seat.
A case is also currently pending with the Supreme Court, which heard arguments earlier this year on whether the state’s congressional district lines — drawn by an independent redistricting commission —are unconstitutional. If the court throws out the current congressional map, Arizona’s districts are almost certain to become more favorable to Republicans, imperiling members such as Kirkpatrick.
Democratic operatives speculate that if the current congressional map is tossed by the court, fellow Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema could also look at a Senate bid. Republicans would likely make her 9th District, located in the Phoenix suburbs, less competitive for the Democrats.
Sources with knowledge of Kirkpatrick’s plans said the congresswoman had long planned on running for Senate this cycle but wanted to announce before the Supreme Court’s decision, to avoid looking as if she was searching for a job if her 1st District became too Republican to carry.
Even if the district lines stay the same, Democrats will not have an easy time there. GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney carried the 1st District by a 3-point margin in 2012, while McCain carried it by the same spread four years earlier.
Rancher Gary Kiehne, who barely lost a GOP primary to the eventual Republican nominee, now-former state Speaker Andy Tobin, already announced a bid. Tobin, who lost to Kirkpatrick by a 5-point margin in the 2014 GOP wave, is also considering giving it another try.
Arizona GOP operatives listed a handful of others who could also wage bids.
They include: •State Sen. Steve Pierce, who has been president of the state Senate since 2011. GOP operatives say Pierce would be a top-tier candidate. •David Tenney, the director of the Arizona Residential Utility Consumer Office, could also look to run. Republican operatives said Tenney, a former Navajo County supervisor, would also be a top-tier contender. •Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu and Flagstaff City Councilman Jeff Oravits could also look to run, GOP operatives said.
*Ping*
So if a Democrat wins the seat...nothing has changed...
I’m good with a ‘rat ilo a wacko-bird maverick GOPeer.
She used to represent our district. We got rid of her after the first term. Replaced with Paul Gosar.
Can’t stand McCain, but Kirkpatrick would be much worse.
Any relation to the great Jeane Kirkpatrick per chance?
I was looking for someone to primary McLame, he isn’t very popular. He ran a dirty campaign last time so any primary candidate should expect the worst.
Kelli Ward
Biography
State Sen. Kelli Ward Announcement: Exploring Challenging McCain for US Senate
It also shows that Dems have ZERO hope of retaking the House until 2022, and given the overwhelming GOP control at the state houses, probably not until 2032. There is no fun being in the minority in the House...so she’s giving up a reasonably safe seat for a kamikaze senate fun
There are plenty of reason to enact term limits in DC and McAmnesty is at the top. Why do we still have a central government located in DC? Today’s electronic communications technology could easily take the place of DC and the citizens could have immediate access to their congress critters. I know, that is why we still have a DC and besides, Congress has to take care of those crony corporate lobbyists.
So if I understand you correctly, AZ would get rid of two RATS. McLame and Kirkpatrick.
Uh huh, why would the Dhims run against their own rino mole?
Seriously, I hopes that she beats McCain. Any Republican who would dare to run against him in the primary, McCain and his people will hatefully destroy. They will ruin them politically, financially, even try to drive them from the state, and leave their reputation in ruins.
McCain doesn’t care even if they have young children. He will want them all ruined beyond repair. And McCain has the money from his wealthy wife and big corporate backers to do it, and his angry rages are well known on Capitol Hill.
Unless his rages turn into a stroke or heart attack. If that was the case at least a Republican could get the seat. But it would be worth losing the seat to any Democrat who is not a frothing Moonbat to deny it to McCain.
The headline is misleading. I inferred, from the headline, that it was about a conservative Republican, who is running against Sen. McCain. Kelli Ward, a conservative Republican, is challenging Sen. McCain, in the primary. If McCain wins the primary and Kirkpatrick wins her primary, she can challenge him.
thx.
it took roll call a while to clarify that she is a DEM and this is not a primary challenge (which involves other persons).
I hope McCain goes down in the primary.
If he doesn’t, vote Democrat!
Wow. This read like a press release from Kirkpatrick. Politico is so far up the establishment’s ass they can’t tell their sneezes from their farts.
Pierce would be awesome; he keeps sponsoring official English, but it goes nowhere in the House.
Anyone who votes democrat for any reason should be sent to Iran. You don’t have to vote for a major party or at all, voting for someone more evil than the wicked wicked Rino you hate is just plain retarded.
Not really. While I hope McCain loses the primary to someone more conservative, the media has no reason to assume he will whist writing it's headlines, quite frankly I'm not sure Kelli Ward can do it. Thankfully I think she said she'll step aside if someone stronger gets in. And Kirkpatrick is certain to be the rat nominee.
She will not win. Certainly not against McCain should the bastard be renominated again.
Great news for her House seat which should now elect a Republican.
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