McCain Persuaded Club for Growth to Stay Out of Arizona
Arizonans also go to the polls today, but the much anticipated GOP Senate primary race between Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and former Rep. J. D. Hayworth
Jul 31, 2020188.1K Shares5.2M Views
Arizonans also go to the polls today, but the much anticipated GOP Senate primary race between Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and former Rep. J. D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.) hasn’t materialized into the close contestthat many, including McCain, feared it might have. One reason it never got dicey for McCain, however, might have had to do with his efforts to court the Club for Growth, an anti-tax, anti-spending organization with a reputation for purging moderate Republicans, in order to keep the group from picking sides in the race:
McCain sought out leaders of the organization. He knew they might still be unhappy about his vote against the Bush tax cuts and disagreed with him on campaign finance reform. But he argued that, under Obama, government spending was now the big issue, and said that on that issue he had a solid conservative record compatible with theirs.
McCain also knew that Hayworth was handicapped in portraying himself as a small-government conservative because of his record of supporting earmarks as a member of the House. McCain attacked Hayworth as a pork-barrel spender and lobbyist, challenging his posture as a Washington outsider. The Club for Growth stayed out of Arizona.
McCain has shifted far right since returning to the Senate after his failed presidential bid, with journalists and pundits positing no shortage of explanationsfor the transformation. It’ll be a telling natural experiment to see whether he becomes more receptive to reengaging on his pet bipartisan issues, like immigration reform and climate change, once he puts his primary challenge in the rearview mirror.
Dexter Cooke
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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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