Is John McCain Slipping in Arizona?
In that piece about Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) shift to the right in the Obama era, Jonathan Martin and Manu Raju mention that the senator is at least
Jul 31, 202071.3K Shares3.1M Views
In that piece about Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) shift to the rightin the Obama era, Jonathan Martin and Manu Raju mention that the senator is at least theoretically preparing for a 2010 primary battle against former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.), an ultra-conservative who went down in the 2006 Democratic wave. Not only have we seen polls that show Hayworth performing well, we have some evidence that McCain is less beloved in Arizona than he once was.
In 2000, McCain was locked in a functionally two-way battle for the GOP presidential nomination with George W. Bush. By Feb. 22, when Arizona held its primary, it was clear that Bush would win the nomination. McCain scored 60 percentof the vote anyway, a 24-point landslide over Bush, carrying every county, and carrying all but one, Graham County, with a majority.
In 2008, Arizona held its primary on Feb. 5, and McCain was moving ahead of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the race for the GOP nomination, but most voters went to the polls thinking Romney had a chance to win if events broke his way. McCain won Arizona, but only with 47 percent of the vote, beating Romney by about 13 points. Romney carried three of Arizona’s 15 counties. McCain only won a majority in three counties: Coconino, Gila, and La Paz.
What does it mean? It’s open for debate, but it certainly suggests that McCain has a more conservative electorate to deal with these days. Both Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee performed better in their home states than McCain performed in Arizona.
Dexter Cooke
Reviewer
Dexter Cooke is an economist, marketing strategist, and orthopedic surgeon with over 20 years of experience crafting compelling narratives that resonate worldwide.
He holds a Journalism degree from Columbia University, an Economics background from Yale University, and a medical degree with a postdoctoral fellowship in orthopedic medicine from the Medical University of South Carolina.
Dexter’s insights into media, economics, and marketing shine through his prolific contributions to respected publications and advisory roles for influential organizations.
As an orthopedic surgeon specializing in minimally invasive knee replacement surgery and laparoscopic procedures, Dexter prioritizes patient care above all.
Outside his professional pursuits, Dexter enjoys collecting vintage watches, studying ancient civilizations, learning about astronomy, and participating in charity runs.
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