Looking At The Potential Replacements For John McCain

Eliot Nelson
Updated

With Sen. John McCain’s death on Saturday, political observers have turned their attention to a replacement in the Senate.

Arizona law requires Gov. Doug Ducey to select the person to fill McCain’s seat. Whomever Ducey selects will face re-election in a November 2020 special election and again for the seat’s regularly scheduled election in 2022. Arizona law requires that the governor appoint someone who belongs to the same party as the person who vacated the seat, meaning a Republican in this case. (Technically, the law specifies the party the person belonged to when they were elected.)

In November’s election, meanwhile, the GOP faces the prospect of losing the state’s other Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Jeff Flake.

Regardless, Arizona will have two new senators come January 2019, a marked departure from the state’s outsized influence only a few years ago when it was represented by McCain and Republican Jon Kyl, who had served as minority whip during part of his long tenure in the chamber.

Speculation around McCain’s replacement was renewed when, the day before he died, McCain’s office announced he was discontinuing medical treatment for an aggressive glioblastoma.

Former Sen. Jon Kyl

U.S. Senate Republican candidate Jeff Flake (L) and U.S. Senator John McCain (R) listen to former U.S. Senator Jon Kyl speak during the Republican Party election night event in Phoenix, Arizona. on Nov. 6, 2012. 
U.S. Senate Republican candidate Jeff Flake (L) and U.S. Senator John McCain (R) listen to former U.S. Senator Jon Kyl speak during the Republican Party election night event in Phoenix, Arizona. on Nov. 6, 2012. 

Gov. Doug Ducey

Arizona Republican gubernatorial primary candidate Doug Ducey smiles after voting in the Paradise Valley section of Phoenix, Arizona. on Aug. 26, 2014. 
Arizona Republican gubernatorial primary candidate Doug Ducey smiles after voting in the Paradise Valley section of Phoenix, Arizona. on Aug. 26, 2014. 

Cindy McCain

Cindy McCain is interviewed before the Achilles Hope and Possibility Race in New York on June 27, 2010. 
Cindy McCain is interviewed before the Achilles Hope and Possibility Race in New York on June 27, 2010. 

Congressional Republicans

U.S. Rep. Martha McSally speaks during a meeting between Trump, members of Congress and U.S. law enforcement about crime and immigration issues at the White House.
U.S. Rep. Martha McSally speaks during a meeting between Trump, members of Congress and U.S. law enforcement about crime and immigration issues at the White House.

Karrin Taylor Robson

Kirk Adams

Kirk Adams sits during an interview at Roll Call in Washington, D.C. 
Kirk Adams sits during an interview at Roll Call in Washington, D.C. 

Wild Card: Alice Cooper

Musician Alice Cooper performs during the Copenhell music festival in Copenhagen, Denmark on June 23, 2016. 
Musician Alice Cooper performs during the Copenhell music festival in Copenhagen, Denmark on June 23, 2016. 

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story said Kyl served as Senate majority whip. He was the minority whip.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.