Arizona Senate Blocked From Keeping McCain’s Seat Off Ballot If He Resigns

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 25: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) looks on during a brief press conference before an Armed Services conference committee meeting on the National Defense Authorization Act on Capitol Hill, October 2... WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 25: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) looks on during a brief press conference before an Armed Services conference committee meeting on the National Defense Authorization Act on Capitol Hill, October 25, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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PHOENIX (AP) — Republicans who control the Arizona Senate were prevented from ensuring that ailing Sen. John McCain’s seat isn’t on the November ballot if he leaves office.

Minority Democrats voted as a block on Monday against the measure, preventing an emergency clause from being tacked onto legislation changing how members of Congress who die or resign are replaced.

McCain has brain cancer and has been recovering in Arizona since December. He was hospitalized for an intestinal infection on April 15. His wife posted on Twitter that the senator was home Monday at his family ranch near Sedona.

Senate vacancies are filled by a governor’s appointee, with the seat on the next general election ballot. Current law says his seat would be on this year’s ballot if he leaves office by May 30.

— The legislation is House Bill 2538

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Notable Replies

  1. GOP stole a Supreme Court seat and now they want to steal a Senate seat.

    Not patriots.

  2. Avatar for trnc trnc says:

    As cynical as I’ve become, republicans still manage to surprise me.

  3. Typical Republicans, gaming the system for partisan advantage. In the marketplace of ideas, they are bankrupt.

  4. Would McCain leave office voluntarily before May 30? Or at all? I doubt it.

  5. I agree, but the senator was home Monday at his family ranch near Sedona. doesn’t strike me as a long-term prognosis…

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