Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R), who is tasked with replacing the late Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), has many considerations to weigh while choosing a successor, not the least of which is his own political future.
According to a Wednesday Politico report, Ducey has been careful about getting too close to President Donald Trump, showing up on issues like the border, but keeping some distance from the President as he faces a challenging reelection in the fall.
Ducey has said that he will not announce McCain’s replacement until the late senator’s burial. However, that assertion has not stopped the rumors from flying.
One name that has reportedly come up is Maj. Gen. Michael McGuire, a career pilot who is also adjutant general for the state. Per Politico, he has a solid reputation and some think that his military background will make him an adequate replacement for McCain who is still palatable to Trump’s base.
Other names on the whispered list are McCain’s wife Cindy and former Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), both of whom were considered interim possibilities if McCain passed away before May 30 and triggered a special election in this year’s midterms.
A big consideration for Ducey, alongside his own neck, is picking a replacement solid enough that he or she can hold the seat in a 2020 reelection and not give Democrats another opening to gain power. This is a big red flag with Cindy McCain, who, along with having largely unknown personal politics, would not be expected to run again.
Trump has, for now, heeded his aides’ advice to stay out of the replacement conversation.
He could appoint the widow Cindy and watch the fireworks in Washington begin. I’d love to see her trash this White House every chance she got for the next two years. Bet she would be a bigger maverick than John and Sarah put together ever were.
Advice given while Trump is asleep will go unheeded as soon as he awakes and his cheeseburger greased fingers reach for the twitter machine. That quote is clearly ridiculous and utter bullshit. Trump follows his own advice, and heeds others only if they coincidentally agree with him.
If that advice is heeded all the way through the funeral and interment I will be shocked.
Doug Ducey, fluid as a Summers Eve…
I believe she would as well. Hopefully beginning with voting down Kavanaugh to set the pecking order.