Arizona Gov. Ducey appoints former Sen. Jon Kyl to replace John McCain

By Dan Calabrese —— Bio and Archives September 4, 2018

Comments | Print This | Subscribe | Email Us

He’s 75 years old, so this doesn’t sound like a long-term solution. But for now, it’s a 51st Republican vote for Brett Kavanaugh and maybe for some more tax relief before the end of the session.

And at least they won’t have to show him where the bathrooms are:

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has picked former Sen. Jon Kyl to replace the late Sen. John McCain. At a news conference Tuesday, the Republican governor said Kyl committed to serve through the end of the year and added that he hopes the ex-lawmaker will serve longer. Kyl, 76, represented Arizona in the Senate for nearly two decades before retiring in 2013. He stressed that he “will not seek this seat in 2020” in a planned special election. Kyl spent time as the chamber’s second-ranking Republican, and served his entire tenure in the Senate alongside McCain. McCain, the longtime Republican senator and former GOP presidential nominee, died late last month after a struggle with brain cancer. “We’re all saddened by the circumstances that required this appointment and appreciate that there was only one John McCain,” Kyl said, adding that he wants to take care of “unfinished business” before the Senate including judicial nominations.

It’s a plus that Ducey didn’t feel the need to appoint Cindy McCain or someone else demanded by a dying politician insistent on choosing his own successor. Kyl is more conservative than McCain, which is not saying much, and as far as anyone knows he doesn’t have a personal feud going with the president that might prompt him to muck up the works on crucial legislation. Kyl has already announced he won’t seek re-election in the 2020 special election set to let voters choose their own successor to McCain, so Arizona can get ready for back-to-back-to-back U.S. Senate races. Sorry Sheriff Joe fans. Sorry Meghan McCain fans. Ducey gave us a pretty boring choice who will probably back more good legislation than his recently deceased predecessor would have. Do with that what you will.