The man known as the maverick of the Senate is being challenged in the primary election by two fellow Republicans who argue the moniker is nothing more than carefully crafted marketing.
Former state Sen. Kelli Ward and former radio show host Clair Van Steenwyk are running against Sen. John McCain, claiming the 79-year-old senator is out of touch with the Republican Party.
The winner of the GOP primary Aug. 30 will face Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick in November.
McCain, who joined the Senate in 1986, pays little attention to his rivals, saying he wants another six years in office to focus on national security issues.
“The decisive factor that has motivated me to run again is that we’ve got a world on fire,” he said. “The director of National Intelligence and the CIA both have said there is going to be more attacks on the United States.”
The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, McCain argues he is in a unique position to help defend the nation.
“The Constitution says the president proposes and the Congress disposes, we have the power of the purse,” he said.
On a certain level, McCain agrees that all of his political rivals want to fight terrorism and keep the country safe, but only he has the right qualifications.
“It is self-evident, none of them have the experience, the knowledge or the background or the position that I have,” McCain states. “Most observers view me as the most knowledgeable person on national security in the Congress of the United States.”
Targeted by his political enemies, McCain finds himself in an unusual position of having some of his previous political ads being used against him.
Video of him saying “build the danged fence” from 2010 has recently resurfaced, implying McCain has done little to secure the border. It also suggests he sides with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s vision to erect a massive 30- to 40-foot high wall along the southern border.
McCain rejects this, saying the border is more secure than it was six years ago and he has pushed for even stronger legislation to bring more resources to help fight drug smugglers and curb illegal immigration.
Physical barriers are important, but he said the United States needs new technology rather than concrete walls or barbed wire.
As for his support of Trump, McCain has found himself disagreeing with the presidential candidate but continues to say he will support the nominee.
A decision not Made lightly
Inside the dented RV she has used to travel to meet residents from one corner of the state to another, Ward acknowledges the uphill fight she has to unseat McCain.
“I did not take it lightly to decide to running against a powerful U.S. senator who was the Republican nominee for the presidency,” Ward said.
She says McCain has been consistently “dishonest about securing the border” and it is one of her main reasons for getting in the race.
What she calls “open borders” are affecting everything, noting she sees how illegal immigration has an negative impact in her community in Lake Havasu.
She offers a laundry list of complaints, saying they are affecting everything from public safety, corrections, education and, in general, are a drain on the economy.
“All of those things have led me to the point to say that ‘somebody has got to do something.’” she said.
On the topic of a border wall, Ward doesn’t expect the United States will build the massive border barrier called for by Trump.
“I don’t envision the great wall of China,” Ward said, noting physical barriers are only a portion of a multipronged plan to secure the border. “It is not just about a wall.”
A doctor by profession, Ward said she has met with many people who want to see a change in Congress.
“The people are ready to make a change in Washington,” Ward said. “John McCain can’t unite this party.”
A Trump supporter who went to the Republican National Convention, Ward offers full support of the controversial nominee.
“I have faith that (Donald Trump) will do the right thing,” she said. “We know what Hillary Clinton will do.”
Van Steenwyk doesn’t see a conservative
A third candidate technically in the race is former radio show host Van Steenwyk, who is also challenging U.S. Rep. Trent Franks simultaneously.
Van Steenwyk has run for several offices in the last few years, challenging Franks in 2014 and running for the Senate seat vacated by then Sen. Jon Kyl in 2012.
Steenwyk said he doesn’t like McCain or Ward, arguing he is the true conservative in the race.
He hasn’t raised any cash, according to the Federal Election Commission, but says he is focused on getting his message out and not filling his campaign coffers.
His top issues include fighting terrorism, protecting the Second Amendment and Agenda 21.
The latter is a nonbinding agreement with the United Nations signed by President George H.W. Bush in 1992 related to sustainable development that is a cornerstone to several major conspiracy theories.
Meluskey suspends campaign
A fourth candidate in the GOP senate race, talk show host Alex Meluskey, suspended his campaign over the weekend.
